The Public Transport Service Corporation (PTSC) will continue its holiday service if bus drivers will work for the standard rate of pay, instead of the triple time pay that they previously earned.
PTSC confirmed that it would stop its weekend service because of high costs. General Manager of PTSC Bashir Mohammed said it costs $124,000 per day for the company to run an hour-long service for selected routes. Mohammed said that the Government subsidizes most of the service which leaves little revenue for the company. He said to operate on a holiday, approximately 44 drivers are paid triple time and rostered to work on a shift system. Mohammed said he has no problem meeting with the unions representing the 619 bus drivers to devise a plan in order to restart the holiday service. He said the unions previously did not attend meetings but they attended one held recently so discussions will continue in order to devise a plan. Paul Smith, vice president of the Transport and Industrial Workers Union (TIWU) said the PTSC did not meet with drivers before a making a decision to suspend the service.
Bashir’s statement comes after drivers held a protest at the PTSC headquarters over the suspended Holiday service.
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