Labour org meets Transport Min over NBSTC salary hike

COOCH BEHAR: A delegation from the Trinamool Labour Organisation met the state Transport minister Snehashish Chakraborty on Monday, requesting a salary hike for North Bengal State Transport Corporation (NBSTC) workers. The meeting, held in Kolkata, included members of the WBTC Trinamool Labour Organisation and INTTUC state president Ritabrata Bandopadhyay.

The delegation urged the minister to implement salary increases for NBSTC workers as per the state government’s directive (Memo No. 1091). The hike has not been applied to temporary workers, despite government instructions.

Jahangir Hussain, assistant secretary of the North Bengal State Transport Driver and Trinamool Labour Employees Union, stated: “Even after the government issued instructions, temporary NBSTC workers have not received the announced salary hike. We have requested that this be implemented as soon as possible.” Hussain added that the Transport minister has assured them that the matter will be addressed after Durga Puja. Other demands included raising the minimum wage of security personnel to Rs 9,976 and regularising family members of deceased NBSTC employees who are working temporarily.

Last year, the state government increased salaries for transport employees by Rs 2,000, but this was later halted by the Transport office. Currently, the government mandates a minimum salary of Rs 17,000 and a maximum of Rs 39,000 for NBSTC employees, who are still earning Rs 13,500. The delegation met with the minister to advocate for implementing this salary structure.