PMPML staff gets salary of just 2-3 working days in May

A day’s pay also cut for CM Relief Fund; mgmt cites heavy losses

Facing financial losses, Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Limited (PMPML) has disbursed salaries to staffers for only those days on which they worked in May, due to which most drivers and conductors have received only two or three days’ pay in hand. To add insult to injury, the transport body has also deducted one day’s salary to be deposited in the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund.

Now, with just Rs 800-1,500 in hand for last month, the workers are worried about managing family expenditure. The workers’ union has also written to the PMPML management, asking officials for the full payment for May. Sunil Nalawade, general secretary, PMPML Nationalist Congress Party union, said, “The state has said that salaries of government employees should not be deducted as they were asked to stay home during the lockdown. But yet, PMPML is only paying for the days we worked. As it used just five per cent of the fleet last month, salary has come for just a handful of days a few days ago. Further, one day’s precious pay was cut for the CM’s Relief Fund without our consent.”

Furious workers are claiming this decision was irrational. Employee Amol Kadam said, “I did not sit at home voluntarily. The government ordered it. How can they cut our salaries for the entire lockdown? I have my whole family to look after — how can I do this in Rs 1,000?”

PMPML joint managing director Ajay Charthankar admitted that the salary cut is due to a financial crisis. “Our operations are down to five per cent of the total fleet since March, which means no revenue. We are facing huge losses and had to take this decision. But, we have not discontinued any worker’s service. We will raise this issue at the board of directors meeting and seek monetary help from both Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad civic bodies to cope with these losses.”