HYDERABAD: Describing Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao’s decision to dismiss all 48,000 employees of the RTC who went on strike on October 5 as a direct attack on the very existence of trade unions in the State, all the central and state trade unions have come together to strongly back the RTC workers’ cause.
In a meeting of all central and state trade unions, including banks and railways and their frontal organisations, held to discuss the RTC strike issue at Sundaraiah Vignana Kendram here on Wednesday, it was decided that the CM’s action needs to be given a ‘befitting reply’ so that such an incident did not recur in the future.
The unions also decided to organise lunch hour meetings in all government offices of the state on October 10 and 11. The members were asked to wear black badges as a mark of protest to the meetings. A solidarity meeting would also be held on October 14 at Indira Park in support of the RTC strike. The trade unions will also submit a memorandum to Governor Tamilisai Soundarrajan on October 11, requesting her to intervene and rescue the RTC workers. The meeting also resolved to stage demonstrations in front of all 97 RTC bus depots of the state to protest the CM’s decision. All the trade unions would also be writing a letter to the CM criticising his decision to sack the protesting RTC employees.
Speaking on the occasion, the state general secretary of Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), M Saibaba, strongly condemned the CM’s action and added that the action was not limited to RTC but to all trade unions. “CM wants to end trade union in the state. This is dangerous for workers. We cannot let it happen. We all need to fight against it unitedly,” he stated. Saibaba also said that the dismissal of protesting employees was not only illegal but also unconstitutional. “RTC is running in losses due to wrong policies of the government and not due to the employees. CM is responsible for RTC’s present status,” he alleged.
“The CM is trying to finish trade union in the state which is against the very spirit of democracy. If needed, 35,000 members of the bank employees association will also go on strike,” said Secretary of Telangana unit of the Bank Employees Association, Rambabu.
All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) state general secretary VS Bose claimed that since RTC was a corporation, the CM had no right to dismiss its employees. “CM’s claim of self dismissal will turn into self goal soon,” he said. Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC) state secretary Sharifuddin stated that there was a need to give fitting reply to the CM or he will continue to target workers. Over 35 employees union extended support to the striking RTC workers.
State-wide bandh call on the cards
All the leading political parties also expressed solidarity with the striking TSRTC employees at an all-party meeting at Somajiguda Press Club in Hyderabad on Wednesday. The leaders from BJP, Congress, TJS, TDP, MPRS held hands with the TSRTC JAC convenor Ashwathama Reddy in a show of unity and assured their support to the protesting RTC employees who have been left in the lurk after the CM announced their dismissal. Scathing remarks came in from Telangana Jana Samithi founder, Prof Kodandaram, “The CM must stop thinking he is the law and the constitution and dismiss the strike call given by these workers. He can’t remove them from service for going on a strike.” He also reminded the CM how the HC gave a stern ruling in Errum Manzil demolition case and in the same way, RTC workers will also win in the end. The JAC also hinted at the possibility of a state-wide bandh in the next few days, as they have called for another all party meet on Thursday