Thane, Feb 11 (PTI) In a relief for contract workers, an industrial court here has directed the Thane Municipal Transport Undertaking (TMTU) to continue the services of 30 workers, observing an employer cannot unilaterally alter service conditions during the pendency of a legal dispute.
The Thane Industrial Court gave the ruling on February 2, but the order was made available on Wednesday.
The order, passed by Industrial Court member S Z Sonbhadre, came on a complaint filed by the Maharashtra Municipal Kamgar Union (MMKU).
The union challenged a notice from the TMTU dated January 27, 2026, which informed workers that their services for cleaning and sweeping at bus depots would no longer be required after February 1.
The TMTU argued the complaint was not maintainable as the workers were engaged through a contractor, Arya Enterprises, whose contract expired on January 31.
However, the court noted that a separate reference seeking permanency benefits for these workers is already pending before the Industrial Tribunal.
Crucially, the court highlighted discrepancies in the TMTU’s claims, noting that while the tender was for inducting only 11 workers, 31 were actually engaged.
“The respondent (TMTU) is not coming with clean hands before the court and is hiding the information from the Court,” it observed.
The respondent is not justified in terminating the services of 31 workers, it further noted.
Invoking section 33 of the Industrial Disputes Act, which mandates maintaining the status quo during pending proceedings, the court remarked, “The action on the part of the respondent, in effecting termination of service of the workmen, amounts to unfair labour practice.” The court directed the TMTU to continue the services of the 30 employees either as temporary workmen or through an agency during the pendency of the complaint.
However, it clarified this interim continuation “will not grant any benefits to the complainant union or to the workers to claim direct contract of employment with the respondent.” PTI COR RSY
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