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Blow to transport workers as court rejects petition on wage revision
In a blow to the State Transport Corporationemployees, the Madras High Court rejected their plea to review wages by applying the multiplying factor of 2.57 instead of 2.44, holding it unjustified.
By
migrator
migrator
Chennai
A division bench comprising Justices SManikumar and MGovindaraj passed the order after recording the report of Justice EPadmanabhan, a retired judge of the high court who was appointed as arbitrator to adjudicate the difference of 0.13 multiplying factor (wage hike) and the date on which it should be applied.
Based on the arbitrator’s report filed in a sealed cover on Wednesday, the bench said the workers’ demand was not justified and deserved to be negated, as they have already been conferred with the benefits in terms of settlement dated January 1, 2018.
No further benefit or claims were to be conferred, the bench added. Passing further interim orders on the contempt petitions filed by retired employees seeking pension benefits, the bench directed the managing directors of the eight state transport corporations to disburse the balance interest portions of Rs 394.69 crore before April 14.
“We make it clear that extension of time will not be granted,” the bench added, and posted the case to April 27 for further hearing. Reacting to the setback, workers’ union leaders said they would go for appeal before the Supreme Court.
However, added A Soundararajan, president of Tamil Nadu State Transport Employees Federation,the unions were not mulling another strike that would affect the public. In the other camp, senior Transport department officials are elated that the court has backed their stand in the contentious wage revision dispute.
“During every meeting, we clearly explained that multiplier factor of 2.44 is the right calculation. However, the leaders did not agree and went on a strike,” said a transport official.
ON A LANE OF WOES
- Transport Dept holds 23 meetings with union leaders over wage revision in 2017
- Transport workers go on eight-day strike from January 4 to 11, 2018
- Feb 2: Government appoints arbitrator to adjudicate with workers and Transport Department
- March 4: Arbitration ends
- March 28: Court delivers verdict
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