Transport corporation workers’ 15th wage pact finalised: Minister SS Sivasankar

CHENNAI: The state government on Wednesday finalised the 15th wage agreement under Section 12(3) for employees of all eight State Transport Corporations in the talks held with trade union representatives in the presence of Transport and Electricity Minister SS Sivasankar.

The agreement will benefit 1,09,787 employees, including 48,006 drivers, 42,825 conductors, 13,003 technical staff, and 2,529 others.

“A six per cent increase in basic pay will be effective from 1 September 2023, with arrears to be paid in four instalments from September 2024. Monthly benefits will range from ₹1,420 to ₹6,460,” the minister told reporters after finalising the wage agreement at the MTC’s training centre in Chromepet.

The agreement entails an additional ₹319.50 crore in arrears and ₹40.26 crore monthly expenditure, he noted.

Out of 86 trade unions that participated in the talks, 64 unions including ruling DMK’s LPF, INTUC and HMS endorsed and signed the agreement. However, CITU, AITUC and AIADMK’s Anna Thozhirsanga Peravai opposed it seeking payment of arrears from September 2023 instead of September 2024 and other demands.

However, CITU State President A. Soundararajan expressed dissatisfaction, noting that workers have incurred an estimated ₹500 crore loss due to arrears being delayed by a year. He criticised the omission of pensioners' issues and the lack of a response to demands for a ₹2,000 special allowance to bridge pay disparities with workers in other sectors. He stated that further discussions would be held to decide the next course of action.