“Despite the MTC’s claim of operating 400 additional bus services following the new restrictions, as on date, at least 500 buses have remained idle in various depots after service resumed in September last year. This has led to a situation where some of the drivers and conductors were not getting jobs for eight to nine days a month. Those without earned leaves are facing salary cuts,” V Dhayananthan, general secretary of CITU affiliated union in MTC, said. 

On Saturday, a bus conductor at Vadapalani depot threatened to commit suicide along with his wife and children alleging that the depot bus controller sought a bribe of Rs 100 a day for allotting a bus for him to work. “In the last two months, I did not have work for eight and nine days respectively. I get a salary of only Rs 22,000 a month. If I pay him Rs 100 bribe daily, what will I take home, ” he said in a video that became viral. MV Ramamoorthy, vice president of Netaji Transport Workers Union, said this is the case in every MTC depot in the city. “The ruling party-affiliated trade union members are getting full salary without even turning up for work while 20 to 30 drivers and conductors in every depot were being denied work. The bus crew members were complaining that controllers were seeking bribes, ” he said. 

Dhayananthan said that last year during lockdown, MTC had provided attendance to all the workers turning up for work. “Now the MTC has brought new leave rules and even denying weekly off. Protesting against the new rules, all trade unions will hold a demonstration at Pallavan House on Tuesday, ” he said. 

A senior MTC official denied the union charges. “We will inquire into the allegations of the controllers taking bribe to allot work, ” the official said.