PMPML staff get salary only for days worked during lockdown

The issue will be put up before the board of directors and demand for monetary help will be sought

The Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Limited (PMPML) has given salaries to employees for only those days on which they worked during the lockdown period. The public transport’s decision has left drivers and conductors get salary for 2 or 3 days. The company has also deducted its staff’s one-day salary and deposited it in Chief Minister’s Relief Fund.

The union has written to PMPML management demanding full salary for the month of May. It has threatened to go on ‘stop work’ protest from next week if their demand is not met.(Ravindra Joshi/HT PHOTO)

“When the lockdown was announced, the number of PMPML buses plying on roads reduced drastically as only emergency service people were allowed to use the transport utility. Hence, staff were called on rotational basis. Now PMPML has given salaries to workers for only those days which they worked in May. Most of them have got salaries between ₹1,000 and ₹2,000. How can we manage our monthly expenses with this amount? The company has even deducted our one day’s salary to give to chief minister’s relief fund,” said Sunil Nalawade, general secretary, PMPML Nationalist Congress Party union.

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The monthly salary of PMPML staff ranges from Rs15,000 to ₹20,000, he said.

The union has written to PMPML management demanding full salary for the month of May. It has threatened to go on ‘stop work’ protest from next week if their demand is not met.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, a PMPML driver said, “I was ready to work during the lockdown and repeatedly asked for it to my reporting depot manager, but I was called on duty for 3 to 4 days. I got my salary only for those days. I didn’t go on voluntarily leave, but was told to sit at home. I have two children and am the sole earner. How will I manage the family expense during these difficult times.”

PMPML joint managing director Ajay Charthankar said, “During the lockdown period, operations were reduced to five per cent and the situation has not improved in the city even now. As a result, revenue generation is less. As the firm is facing huge losses, salary cuts were done but none of our staff have been asked to leave. The issue will be put up before the board of directors and demand for monetary help will be sought from Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad civic bodies.”