Road Transport Workers' Convention Calls for an End to Draconian Policies
THE All India Coordination Committee of Road Transport Workers’ Organisations organised a national convention in Delhi on May 14. Giri, vice president, AITUC and R Karumalaiyan, secretary, CITU, addressed the convention as guest speakers.
The vital transport sector is thrown into a serious financial crisis in the country, decried the road transport workers’ organisations. Minimum wages and statutory benefits like weekly rest, PF, ESI, bonus etc., have become a mirage to them, said the workers, and said that they are ill-treated and even manhandled in many cases by the officials of the police, transport departments and also the anti-social elements. Penalties and harassment have become the order of the day, they said.
The majority of the transport workers in the unorganised sector include single-vehicle owner-cum-drivers of auto-rickshaws, taxis and trucks. These workers have been greatly affected by the soaring prices of fuel, tyres, spare parts, insurance premiums, and transport department service charges which are a result of the pro-corporate policies pursued by governments at the central and state levels, with the exception of a few states like Kerala and Tamil Nadu. These increasing costs have become increasingly burdensome for the transport workers, amplifying the challenges they face in sustaining their livelihoods. While the income has not increased proportionately to the price rise, the Covid pandemic has worsened the financial condition of these owner-cum-drivers, they said.
The declaration placed by R Lakshmaiah, AIRTWF, was unanimously adopted by the convention. The Convention called upon all the concerned organisations to hold state-level conventions in June and July. They also resolved to mobilise members to make the ‘Quit India Day’ programme of the Central Trade Unions on August 9th a grand success. The convention also decided to hold demonstrations at the regional level in all the states in the second week of September.
The Cconvention demanded the government to withdraw the excise duty on diesel and petrol, which were hiked in 2020 and roll back the prices by the oil companies revised since June 7, 2020. They also sought that petrol and diesel be brought under the purview of GST by duly compensating the loss of revenue to the states.
The organisations demanded that the state governments should make arrangements for providing loans from nationalised banks for candidates who wish to buy new vehicles to be self-employed.
They demanded that steps be taken to control the harassment by private finance companies and also to regulate insurance premiums and maintain transparency in premium rates.
They demanded the withdrawal of the amended Motor Vehicle Act 2019 and for the government to hold discussions with all stakeholders to bring out better and proper alternative policies.
They also demanded that STU employees should be provided suitable conditions of service, including fair wages, the establishment of a provident fund, living accommodation, places for rest, recreation and other amenities as stipulated in Section 19(1)(c) of RTC Act 1950.
KK Divakaran of AIRTWF, Dharmveer Chowdhury of NFIRTW, Jayarajan of AICCTU, and Nagarajan of TTSF presided over the convention. Nirmal Singh Dhaliwal, general secretary, of NFIRTW, R Lakshmaiah, general secretary of AIRTWF, SK Roy from AICCTU and Sampath from TTSF spoke at the convention.
