6th pay benefits for KTC staff finally
HERALD REPORTER
PANJIM, APRIL 30
On the eve of Workers Day, Kadamba Transport Corporation Limited’s (KTCL) management and labour union signed a crucial agreement extending the benefits of sixth pay commission to its workers.
The agreement was signed before labour commissioner V Raikar by the representatives of management and workers capping the long pending uncertainity over extending the revised pay scale benefits.
Talking to media after signing the agreement, KTCL chairman aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco said that after the hiked pay workers are asked to raise the corporation’s revenue by at least 10 per cent during the initial months.
“Now on, we are into serious business of getting the corporation into profit. If not profit at least, we will reduce the loses,” Lourenco said.
The Chairman added that the workers have been warned against corrupt practices which results in the revenue leakages.
“This is a historic moment and the workers have assured to cooperate with the management,” Lourenco, who was earlier non committal on the implementation of sixth pay commission, said.
Other officers including KTCL Managing Director Venesio Furtado were present during the signing of the agreement, which came as a fulfillment of the assurance given by chief minister Digamber Kamat.
Bowing to the agitational tactics by the union leader, Kamat on Thursday had assured to sign the agreement on Friday.
The agreement will entitle the workers to higher pay which will burden the corporation by Rs 1.3 crore monthly.
Lourenco said that the arrears from January 01, 2006 would be paid to the workers in different installments. The arrear liability amount to Rs 43 crore for the corporation, which is running in loses despite having three nationalized routes under its belt. It is decided that 25 per cent of the arrears would be paid for the ongoing financial year, 2010-11 and rest would be paid in seven installments commencing from April 01, 2011 to March 13, 2018.
All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) General Secretary Christopher Fonseca who spearheaded the talks for sixth pay commission implementation assured that the workers will pull up their sleeves to bring corporation into profit.
Recently, Amarsen Rane who as the managing director of KTC tried to bring in financial discipline in the Corporation, was shunted out..
