Karnataka - Bangalore

Bus staff take out protest march

BANGALORE: Members of the North Eastern Karnataka Road Transport Private Bus Drivers’ and Staff Union held a protest march here on Wednesday urging the Government to ensure compliance by the road transport corporations on various laws.

The members said they were denied minimum wages, weekly offs, provident fund, standard working hours and other rights by the contractors who had provided buses to the corporations.

In a memorandum submitted to the Governor, president of the union S. Prasanna Kumar said the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation and its sister concerns had inducted hundreds of private buses on hire from individuals.

While the private operators offered the bus and the driver, the corporations deployed the conductor.

Drivers of these buses were being made to work overtime, without rest even after driving 400 km at a stretch, he said.

They were being not given weekly offs. They were also not being paid minimum wages, Mr. Kumar said.

The provisions of the Minimum Wages Act, Motor Transport Workers Act, Employees Provident Fund Act and the Contract Labour (Abolition and Regulation) Act had been flouted, he charged.

The Government should direct the corporations to issue employment card, wage slip, payment of provident fund and payment of minimum wages, he added.

© Copyright 2000 - 2009 The Hindu