HYDERABAD: The TSRTC employees’ strike began on Friday midnight after the State government refused to concede any of their demands including their principal ones - a merger of RTC with the government and pay revision, dashing the hopes of those who had planned Dasara-eve journeys to their hometowns.
Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, after arrival from Delhi in the evening, discussed the issue with Transport Minister P Vijay Kumar, and the three-member officials’ committee among others and decided not to yield to the pressure exerted by the employees.
“The government has decided to recognise only those who report to duty by 6 p.m. on Saturday as RTC employees and those who do not, as ones who had given up their jobs voluntarily,” a late-night official press release said.
“The employees who report for duty before the deadline would be provided protection and job security. Under no circumstances, those who do not report for duty before the deadline would be taken back into service,” the release said.
The government also made it clear that there would be no more talks with the employees. It has appointed Sandeep Sultania as the new commissioner of Transport Department. The government wants a sense of discipline inculcated among the employees, the release said.
Meanwhile, the JAC of the RTC employees said that the strike was on and all night services have been called back to the depot. “Threatening employees is not democratic. We appeal to all political parties to bring pressure on the government as our demands are genuine. The reaction of the government indicates that it was contemplating to privatise the corporation which would not be in the interests of the employees or the people,” JAC co-convenor Thomas Reddy said.
Earlier in the day, a slugfest ensued between the government and TSRTC unions after the declaration of the proposed strike as illegal. The officials said that the strike was illegal as the unions did not attend the conciliation process initiated by the Joint Commissioner for Labour.
The principal demand of the employee was the merger of the TSRTC with the State government on which the committee did not give any assurance to the employees.“It would be in the best interest of all if the strike is called off. It is a happy festive time for the people of Telangana and the RTC must not inconvenience the citizens,” finance secretary K Ramakrishna Rao told a press conference. But the employees said they were going on strike as all other methods of convincing the government had failed. “We asked the committee if they could give us a timeline on when the merger would take place, but they did not consider it,” said JAC convener E Ashwathama Reddy.
Meanwhile, the TSRTC officials at their meeting with the Chief Minister told him that there was scope for RTC to run as many as 7,000 buses since they already have about 5,000 temporary drivers and 2,100 hired services ready to move. The Chief Minister directed the officials to hire private buses from the neighbouring states and allow jeeps, autos and private vehicles to ferry passengers without insisting on permits.
He further asked DGP M Mahender Reddy to ensure protection to employees who would join duty on Saturday and beef up security at the bus depots. He wanted the police to deal sternly with those trying to disrupt bus services.
TRSMA schools to lend buses to RTC
The president of Telangana Recognised Schools Management Association Yadagiri Shekar Rao announced on Friday that they were going to lend their buses to ply on selected routes from Saturday. RTA exemption permits have been taken for one week