Pune transport body workers write to Maharashtra CM about pay cuts

A union of PMPML, a civic transport body in Pune, has written to Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray complaining about severe pay cuts several employees, including drivers and conductors, had to face for the month of May.

The Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Limited has also deducted a day's salary to be deposited towards the Chief Minister's Relief Fund, claimed PMPML Rashtrawadi Maharashtra General Labour Union (PRMGLU).

The PMPML's operations were suspended during the coronavirus-induced lockdown, leaving the majority of its employees, including drivers and conductors, with no work. "Several PMPML employees have been paid Rs 300 to 1,500 for the month of May. These meagre salaries were paid based on the days they had worked in the previous month or against their leave balance. The PMPML has implemented huge pay cuts, despite the state government's directives against the same," Sunil Nalawade, secretary, PRMGLU, told PTI.

Leaves of employees should not be exhausted at this time, he said, adding that the transport body had also deducted a day's salary for the CM's Relief Fund.

One of the affected drivers said he had received around Rs 480 as salary for May. "I did not get to work a single day in May as the operations are shut. The salary that I received was against the leave balance I had. They also deducted a day's salary for the CM relief fund," he said.

They had, however, received full salaries for March and April against the leave balance they had, he said. Meanwhile, the PMPML's joint managing director Ajay Charthankar said they had paid full salaries to their employees for March and April despite the fact that there was no work due to the lockdown.

"In May, it was decided that employees will be paid for the days they work. We had also paid those who had enough leave balance. Since the revenue is low due to depleted operations, we are trying to pay proportionately," he said. Few PMPML employees out of the workforce of 10,000 got very meagre salaries as their leave balance was also exhausted, he added.

"Till the time they had enough leave balance, we paid them full salaries despite no work or limited work," he said. The PMPML is a company and as per the company laws, employees were paid against the days they worked, he added.

Unlike other private companies, the PMPML did not discontinue the services of its workers, he said, citing fund crunch as a major reason for pay cuts.

The issue has been raised with the board of directors and monetary help is being sought, he said.

"To mitigate the current situation, we even moved over 800 workers to both Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad corporations, where work is available on a temporary basis," he said.