Boat passengers in the state may be left in the lurch as hundreds of daily wage employees of the Kerala State Water Transport Department (KSWTD) are launching a state-wide indefinite strike from Friday.
According to Nazar Paigamadam, counsel for the Water Transport Workers Congress, the strike is to protest against the negligence of the KSWTD officials in implementing the wage revision of the daily wage employees during the past eight months.
“The daily wage employees are a disgruntled lot since they are getting a daily wage of only Rs 225. Though, their wages were revised eight months ago, they are still being paid the old wages,” Nazar said.
As part of the protest, all 126 workers from thirteen depots across the state will strike from Friday.
“We play a major role in ensuring the smooth functioning of the boat services in the state. The officials misuse our services most of the time, denying us any off or leave. We have submitted three memorandums to the KSWTD officials, but to no effect,” said a member of the union.
The employees are also demanding the government to make daily wage employees, who have been serving the department for more than eight years, permenant employees of the department.
“Even, the empanelled employees of the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) who have eight years of experience have been made permanent.
Both corporations are under the same ministry,” he said. They are also demanding that the department should take up the responsibility of those employees who met with accidents while on duty.
Meanwhile, KSWTD officials have sought the services of retired employees to run the boats.
The Transport Minister’s office said that they will hold talks with the KSWTD officials and the union members in Thiruvananthapuram on Friday.
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