PANAJI
Members of the Bal Rath Employees Union have objected to the government's handling of the bus service, and have demanded resolving issues ranging from salary disparity and unfair labour practices.
The union members also announced they would undertake a protest during the forthcoming legislative assembly session if the government does not pay heed to their demands.
Speaking on behalf of the Union, the Goa Trade Unions' Confederation president, Ajeetsingh Rane, said despite the transfer of the scheme from one government department to another, there was a problem with its implementation.
“When the scheme was first launched in 2010, it was handled by the social welfare department, then it was transferred to the tribal welfare department, and now it is being headed by the education department. But their problems have not been resolved since 2011, and we have time and again placed the issue in front of the government, but nothing has happened,” he said.
Rane pointed out that the scheme was implemented without any study, and added that the buses that were brand new in 2010 are now facing problems, with workers being forced to spend from their pocket for repairs.
Among the list of demands, the 900 employees working as drivers and attendants for 450 Bal Rath buses have asked for an increase in salary from Rs 5,000 to Rs 10,000 for attendants and from Rs 10,000 to Rs 18,000 for drivers.
They have also demanded ending unfair labour practices and harassment meted out to its members. Workers also lamented having to do work other than the job specified to them at the schools they have been posted.
The Union has also raised an objection to being employed for only ten months of the year when schools are in session, rather than being throughout the year. “The break period of two long months is unbearable, which leads to a lot of hardship to employees and their families,” said union general secretary, Shiv Kumar Naik.
