Panaji: The proposed strike by the Kadamba Transport Corporation (KTC) Drivers and Allied Employees Association (AITUC) has been deferred following talks between union representatives and KTC management on November 10.The union had served a strike notice on Oct 30, announcing its intention to launch a strike from 9am on Nov 12 over several pending demands.Among the major demands discussed were withdrawal or review of contentious circulars, regularisation of daily-wage, temporary and “badli” drivers and conductors who have completed five years of service, and restoration of pending provident fund benefits. Management also agreed to take up the long-pending Seventh Pay Commission arrears, covering the period from Jan 2017 to Oct 2019, with the government for payment in instalments.The union also raised concerns over promotions, arbitrary fines, break-in-service, bonus and ex-gratia payments, transfers of union committee members, and pay-fixation anomalies affecting employees.Other issues included procurement of 300 new diesel buses, introduction of 15 air-conditioned buses, crew safety during night halts, improved depot facilities, identity cards, overtime payments and enhanced allowances for drivers, conductors and sweepers.Management assured the union that several matters would be examined, while others would be pursued with the government or discussed bilaterally.Ahead of the strike, the state government prohibited strikes in all transport services across the state for a period of six months, with immediate effect.An order issued by the department of home (General), secretariat, Porvorim, on Nov 10, invokes Section 3(1) of the Goa Essential Services Maintenance Act, 1988, to prohibit strikes in any form in transport services involving the carriage of passengers or goods by land or water.
