2010-10-31 : A Senior Bus Driver Fired [Shri Ram Prakash Ji's case]

(Related pages:  Arbitrary Firing of Shri Ram Prakash)

A Senior Bus Driver of Motor Transport (MT) Section has been Fired

Mr. Ram Prakash (RP) came to the Hamara Manch meeting this Wednesday and reported that his services were terminated on 23rd Oct. 2010. The facts in brief, as told by him, are as below:

1. In 2001 he joined IITK as a driver on daily wage basis for 3 months. Later on his services were extended thrice through three year contracts. Before joining IITK he had worked in the Indian Army for 24 years as a vehicle mechanic in various workshops. Though he came to IITK through the Sainik Board, the contract was directly between him and IITK. He is 52 years old at present.

2. At IITK he has been driving various official vehicles and buses on a regular basis. He was the first one to be hired under such contract as a driver in the motor transport section (there are ten other drivers on contract who were hired after him). RP has doubled up as a conductor when they were not available during bus trips and even looked after the MT office being very senior, when the office-in-charge had gone on leave. According to him, his work required almost seven days engagement and often more than 8 hours as there is perpetual shortage of drivers. Till last year he was being paid Rs. 5000/ per month but for the last one year it was raised to 7500/. It involved no other perks like PF (he may be getting HC facility but we forgot to check). He and all the other such drivers on contract have been given Type I houses and a telephone connection perhaps due to the nature of their duties. Besides this he gets a paltry pension from army as well for his earlier service.

3. RP was given no notice before being fired. Around August he heard ‘rumours’ that his services wouldn’t be renewed. On Oct. 1st when the duty chart for the month was put up on the MT notice board his duty schedule was marked only till 22nd and then there was a remark that his contract will be over. That is when he began running around to save his job.

4. He has met the MT in charge, DD and the registrar, each of them saying that they are helpless and the other one is supposed to take decision regarding him. He has three children who are dependent on him economically, two daughters in KV and a son in a private engineering college, and therefore this employment has a crucial role to play in the lives of his family at present.

Issues:

1. The manner in which he has been fired – it is assumed that since he is on contract his services can be terminated from the very next day, no official notice, no attempt to find another employment, no consideration that he has served on the frontiers, etc. and no separation dues since no PF was deducted.

2. The salary that he was getting was definitely below minimum wages (at least for some of the employment period) as he was a highly skilled mechanic and employed as a bus driver by the institute, the other legal violations need to be investigated further.

3. Most importantly, he has not been given any reason for being fired. After all even if IIT needs fewer drivers (most likely IITK is going to privatise MT further) why should he be the first one to be removed, as he is the most senior (in terms of number of years worked in the Institute)?