The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : Taxi drivers demand hike in salaries

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Monday, Jan 28, 2008
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Taxi drivers demand hike in salaries

Staff Reporter

HYDERABAD: Drivers working with travel agencies, call centres, educational institutions and other organisations in twin cities on Sunday demanded salary hikes, payment of provident fund and additional pay for extra working hours.

Under the banner of ‘Telugunadu’ Lorry and Motor Drivers Union (TLMDU), several drivers gathered at the Sundarayya Vignana Kendram and charged the travel agency managements of exploiting them without paying sufficient salaries.

They demanded immediate implementation of GOMs No 90 that stipulates salary payments to drivers depending on the vehicle. The Motor Vehicles Act specifies that a cab driver should be paid a salary of over Rs. 4, 400 per month and Rs. 42.50 for every additional hour after eight working hours in a day. But majority of the 400-odd travel agencies in the city violate this rule, said TLMDU president K. Narsing Rao.

Most travel agencies operating vehicles for schools, software and other companies’ make the drivers work for nearly 14 hours a day and pay them a salary of Rs. 3, 500 per month without provident fund and other perks.

Not even appointment letters are issued for the fear of being prosecuted under the Labour Law, he said.

Every travel agent earns nearly Rs. 27,000 per month for operating a cab for companies but in turn they pay Rs.15, 000 only to the owners deducting the rest as “goodwill”.

“After deducting operational costs and monthly maintenance, we are hardly left with Rs. 4, 000 to Rs. 5, 000 per month,” bemoaned Mohd.Arif, a taxi owner.

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