The problems of the employees of Delhi Transport Corporation are aggravating, day by day.DTC Employees Ekta Union’ wrote a letter to the Chief Minister of Delhi informing him about the problems faced by the employees.
The union says that the pensioners of Delhi Transport Corporation have been denied pension for the last 2 months. Apart from this, the union has demanded redressal from the Kejriwal government to discuss the issue of ensuring the contract workers.
The union alleges that even after a considerable period, they have received no response from the Delhi government. This is the reason the union has written a letter on both the above problems yesterday, 28th December, demanding immediate solution to both the problems.
The letter written by the union states that the pensioners and widows of the deceased employees are facing innumerable difficulties.. There is no ration in the houses of the pensionersor money to pay the rent of the house. Pensioners were forced to ask for food from the neighbourhood .
DTC Employees Unity Union has also written in the letter that many pensioners shared their pathetic circumstances with the union.
The union has appealed to the Delhi government to pay the pension as soon as possible. The union has also declared to protest with the pensioners if the pension is not paid immediately.
At the same time, the Union has written another letter to the Chief Minister. Here the union has raised issue making the contract workers permanent. The union says that if the government will abide duration to confirm the employees, then it must unhesitatingly pay normal wages for normal work.
The union has written a letter to the Delhi government demanding to ensure a meeting at the earliest to discuss the problems of the DTC employees.
It may be noted that last month, the DTC Employees Ekta Union had warned of agitation on December 17 for non-payment of two months’ arrears of salary to the contract employees.
ON Monday, December 12, on the call of DTC employees’ union “DTC Workers Unity Center” affiliated to AICCTU, the employees expressed their anger by protesting outside various depots of Delhi Transport Corporation.
The union has warned the DTC management and the Delhi government of a major agitation if the salaries are not paid soon.
According to a press release issued by the union, the union claims that both the DTC management and the Delhi government have been consistently negligent towards the demands of the employees of the Delhi Transport Corporation. Due to stubborn and anti-labour attitude, in the past also the employees have been compelled to resort picketing and even going on strike.
There have been reports of non-payment of salaries to the employees of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD). DTC contract employees fear that the condition of the Delhi Transport Corporation may also become like that of the MCD contract employees.
DTC Workers Unity Center (ACTU) demands that the government and management should immediately release the salary of all employees and pension of retired employees.
The union believes that the responsibility of running the public transport properly is as much the responsibility of the employees, but the government is not acting in a responsible manner.
It may be known that the contract employees of DTC have been demanding permanent work for a sustained period. The union says that the management and the Delhi government have placed the demand of confirmation of contract employees and increase in the number of DTC buses in the dust. Along with this, there is a lot of dissatisfaction among the corporation employees in the union regarding the privatization of DTC.
DTC contract workers allege that the current condition of DTC is deteriorating because of the intensifying privatization of DTC and corrupt officials present in the management. It is regrettable that the different parties in the capital of Delhi are not raising their voice to save the public transport to the extent with which they invest money and power in the corporation elections.
The DTC Workers’ Unity Center (ACTU) has warned the management and the Delhi government that the union it will be imperative for union leaders to intensify the stir if the salaries are not disbursed at the earliest.
Various organizations of DTC contract employees have warned the management and the Delhi government of igniting a major agitation for non-payment of salaries immediately.
An ideal illustration of the plight of workers all over the country with the crisis of globalisation accentuating, placing the working class at the merciless hand of the capitalist or corporates.It has become a routine practice of managements to abstain from regular payment of salaries or wages. This makes it all the more vital for workers of all spheres to unite on issues, to safeguard basic rights.
Harsh Thakor is a freelance journalist who has covered mass movements in India
