Thiruvananthapuram: KSRTC is planning to impose restrictions on protected employees benefits extended to activists of the two recognised trade unions allowing them to be employed at the units of their choice. As many as 222 employees are availing this benefit now. This was against the norms followed in other public sector units where only the top leadership of recognised trade unions numbering nearly 20 are allowed such benefits.
Sources said that the KSRTC management keeping this in mind, has informed employees who are now enjoying the protected employees’ benefits that the corporation was going to correct the procedures. Majority of the operating staff including drivers and conductors in the scheme are working as ministerial staff in sections with relatively less work. Many drivers were enjoying protected employees’ benefits, even as the corporation was facing a shortage of nearly 1,000 drivers and another 659 drivers are retiring this year.
As a result, the corporation was facing a shortage of drivers to operate 6,380 buses in their fleet. Among those who enjoyed ‘protected employee’ status are 11 employees are working in association with the Cooperative Society of the employees of the corporation. These employees will also be asked to return to normal duty. The KSRTC management is all set to ask these ‘protected employee’ to return to their regular work and restrict the benefits to top office bearers of the organisations only.
