SHILLONG: The Meghalaya Transport Corporation Workers’ Union will observe a total strike of all operations run by the Meghalaya Transport Corporation (MTC) with effect from December 21 if the government fails to respond to their demand of releasing their pending salary by December 20.
In a statement to the press, K. Rumnong, general secretary of the union, said the MTC employees have not received their salary for the last five months and the union has demanded that at least four months’ salaries be released within December 20.
The general secretary stated that non-payment of salaries will affect the workers’ families at the time of inflation.
Another demand of the employees is payment of gratuity. Rumnong stated that gratuity has been prepared and paid to the retired/expired employees of the corporation as per the payment of the Gratuity Act, 1972.
Disappointing the employees, the statement said, “Recently, the management has forwarded a list of employees who have opted for second batch VRS to the government wherein their gratuity has been calculated as per the State Government procedures which greatly varied from the above Act.”
It is informed that all along, the Corporation employees and those retired on VRS on the first batch has been paid as per the Act. The change has resulted in monetary loss and is depriving the employees of their rights, the statement said.
Moreover, the union bemoaned the non-deposit of CPF that has inconvenienced those who have retired as their CPF dues were delayed.
In this connection, the union has urged the MTC management to take the initiative in depositing the same.
