SPTC drivers request meeting to address grievances |19 December 2017
A group of drivers from the Seychelles Public Transport Corporation (SPTC) has requested an urgent meeting with the management with regard to certain grievances they have.
They say that if their request to have a meeting on or before December 21, 2017 is not fulfilled, all drivers will sit in and will not conduct any trips on December 22, 2017.
The numerous issues being faced by the drivers are addressed in a letter sent to the SPTC and these relate to the new scheme of service for drivers, new duty roster which will be implemented on January 8, 2018, working conditions, staff welfare, compensation and other benefits.
Pascal Jean, who has been working with SPTC for the past 12 years, said they are tired of not being heard.
“Those issues have always been there and have been dragging around for years without any response or solutions,” he said.
He said the changes always occur in managerial positions where he expressed that “they are rather treating symptoms instead of curing the disease”.
He said the duty roster for drivers for next year became tighter but when the duty roster changed they did not receive a new scheme of service.
“We want the scheme to be reviewed because we lose money for all the work that we do. When we try asking for a better scheme of service they give us a more rigid roster for next year but with the same benefits,” he said.
They expressed that the tough conditions in which they work would be for a driver to be on trip from 2pm to 6pm non-stop and they feel there should be more flexibility in their work schedule.
“The public think drivers do not want to work, that is not the case as we are here to provide a service for commuters but we are miserable here with these conditions,” he said.
He felt that they deserve the same privileges and benefits of civil servants such as police officers and nurses as they work under stressful and harsh conditions.
“When it comes to working equipment I think it all speaks for itself as you can see the buses on the streets are not only old and unsafe but there is such a lack of buses that drivers literally take the bus from under another driver for his trip,” he said.
Mr Jean described their compound as deplorable and said the restroom where they are supposed to freshen up and prepare for their next trip is very unsanitary.
“The shed has leaks in them when it rains, there are mosquitoes, rats and too much dust. People would not believe that we sleep on mats that are thrown on the floor next to a kitchen. These conditions are unacceptable and it’s time for change,” he said.
He said they are hoping that when the meeting is agreed upon a person who is well aware of the issues being faced by the drivers will be elected from each depot which includes Baie Lazare, Barbarons, Port Launay, Anse Aux Pins, Victoria 1 and Victoria 2.
He said they speak for mostly all the drivers as a majority of them signed a petition.
He urged members of the public to bear with them if it ever comes down to the bus services being cut off if management does not respond to their request.
“It is imperative that they understand that it is not our intention to leave passengers on the streets. The sit in will be our last option which we would prefer does not happen as we wish for everyone to be able to have their Christmas shopping done by Saturday,” he said.
Seychelles NATION was informed that the company’s chief executive is currently overseas and NATION was unable to get a statement from the SPTC management upon trying to contact the deputy CEO and the public relations officer.
The letter has also been sent to the Ombudsman, employment ministry, National Assembly, Public Service, Public Service Appeal Board (PSAB), Association for Rights, Information and Democracy (Arid) and media houses.