MTC staff’s pen-down strike from today

SHILLONG: The Meghalaya Transport Corporation Workers’ Union (MTCWU) has called for a pen-down strike from Wednesday.
The union had threatened to stop all services run by the Meghalaya Transport Corporation (MTC) from December 21 if the State government failed to pay their salary by December 20.
The MTC employees did not get salary for the last five months and the union had demanded that four months’ salary be released by December 20.
The decision to go on strike was taken after the government failed to meet the deadline. The strike will start from 10.30am onwards.
Among other demands of the employees was payment of gratuity. K. Rumnong, general secretary of the union, said gratuity has been paid to retired employees as per the Gratuity Act, 1972.
Moreover, the union bemoaned non-deposit of CPF that has inconvenienced the retired staff whose dues are pending.
Erwin Sutnga, president of the union said, “We will agitate till a final solution is reached. We urged the state government to find a viable solution to the problem.”
Expressing dismay at the apathy of the state government in dealing with the dilemma, he said that some workers have been suffering from serious illnesses, adding to the employees’ woes is the demonetisation.
Stating that the strike will not be a problem to the general public, Sutnga said, “We will not cause any inconvenience to the public. Business of MTC buses and tourist vehicles will not be disturbed while the employees will have a pen down strike.”