Thiruvananthapuram: The Congress-led Transport Democratic Federation (TDF) will go on strike in KSRTC from midnight today, raising various demands. The one-day strike will begin from midnight today (Feb 3) raising 12 demands. KSRTC CMD Pramoj Shankar had held discussions with the organization leaders to avert the strike. However, the TDF, an alliance of INTUC unions, has announced that it will not withdraw from the strike until the issues are resolved.
The TDF is on strike demanding that salaries and pensions be paid on the first day of every month, DA arrears be fully cleared, government orders be issued for salary revision agreements, expired voter registration be conducted, drivers’ special allowances be paid properly, new buses be purchased for KSRTC, harassment against the mechanical section be stopped, Swift Company be merged with KSRTC, duty surrender be allowed without any category difference, privatization of nationalized routes be stopped, NPS and NDR arrears till date be cleared and the amount withheld be paid every month, and corruption be investigated by vigilance.
Meanwhile, KSRTC CMD has issued a Dias non circular. The government has instructed the management to deal strictly with the strike. Officers must be at work on the day of the strike. Leave should not be granted except on the basis of a medical certificate issued by a medical officer not below the rank of civil surgeon. It has been instructed to use temporary employees to provide maximum services, to keep temporary employees who do not show up for work, and not to resume work without the permission of the chief office.
