Don't terminate transport staff without our nod: Madras High Court

Chennai: Declining to vacate its interim order, which restrained the transport corporation workers from taking recourse to strike, the Madras high court has however modified its order only to the extent that no worker shall be terminated without leave of this court.

“As of now, we are not inclined to vacate the interim order restraining the transport corporation workers from taking recourse to strike, particularly the drivers and conductors, considering the predicament of the public, who are constrained to use transport services”, said the First Bench comprising Chief Justice Indira Banerjee and Justice Abdul Quddhose.

While restraining the transport corporation workers from taking recourse to strike, the bench had on January 5 said any worker refraining from attending to work and/or performing duty shall do so at his own risk of the consequences thereof including termination of their services and/or penalization for gross contempt of court.

'Can't deny their legitimate demands'
Bench said there can be no doubt that the rights of workers were also of paramount importance and they cannot be denied their legitimate entitlements. However, recourse to sudden strike was not the solution, the bench added.   Pointing out section 22 of the Industrial Disputes Act, which prohibits strikes, the bench said prima facie, it appears to it that the strike was in contravention of Section 22. "We expect that the state authorities will immediately release the outstanding provident fund and other dues of the workers, particularly, where deductions have been made from the wages/salaries of the workers", bench added.