MTC strike over salary

By Our Reporter

SHILLONG, DEC 21: Agitated over non-release of their five months long pending salaries and attempt of the corporation to equate the gratuity benefits with the government employees, over 200 Meghalaya Transport Corporation (MTC) employees began their indefinite pen down strike from Wednesday.

MTC workers under the the banner of the Meghalaya Transport Corporation Workers’ Union (MTCWU) staged the protest in front of the MTC office at Khyndailad.

Beside delaying the release of their five months salaries, MTC authority is allegedly trying to equate the gratuity benefits with that of government employees and this attempt the MTC employees are opposing as they argue that they do not get pension benefits like the government servants.

Speaking to reporters, MTCWU general secretary K Rumnong said that the five-month pending salaries amounts to over Rs 3.5 crore which inevitably led to financial hardships to 250 employees.

He informed that the monthly salary expenditure of the MTC employees comes to around 70 lakhs. He said  the corporation had proposed to the state government to release the subsidy of Rs 1.80 crore for clearing the pending salaries in installment, the state government has so far released only Rs 90 lakh which is not enough for us to get even two months salaries,” Rumnong said.

He informed that the strike was decided after the corporation’s managing director A Nikhla refused the request for releasing at least 2 months salaries taking into account of December being a Christmas season.

“She (Nikhla) informed that she cannot consider our plea which has come as a disappointment to us. Therefore, we will continue with our strike till they are willing to release two-month salaries to all employees,” Rumnong added.

Meanwhile, the employees are also opposing the move of the managing director to change the payment of Death cum Retirement Gratuity (DCRG) for the staffs of the corporation.

“We are opposing such move because we are semi-government organization and we don’t get pension like those working in the state government’s offices,” the MTCWU leader said.

He informed that the Meghalaya Transport Corporation is covered under the Payment of Gratuity Act, 1972 and as such the payment for such benefits was calculated as per  formulae laid down under the Act which is as per the length of services of an employee.

“Till now we are getting pay plus dearness allowances but if such changes are to be made effective we will be entitled to only basic pay without DA, which we cannot accept,” he said.

Rumnong, however, said if the corporation decides to equate them with the government employees then their demand would be that they should also get pension.