HYDERABAD: The TSRTC employees’ strike has become a battle of nerves between the unions and the State government. Neither side is willing to yield ground though the strike is now one-month-old, denying the employees two months of salary while bringing in ire of the people for the government for failing to provide bus transport in full by breaking the deadlock.
Though it is tough for the employees to carry on without salaries, they are biting the bullet, hoping that Chief Minister KCR would get off the high horse, asking the employees to report for duty unconditionally or he would disband the RTC by issuing permits for all the routes in the State to private players, and get down to the brass tacks to settle the issue.
The TSRTC employees are a huge force — about 50,000 strong — and they also happen to be a part of the population of Telangana whose interest the State government has to take care of. But, KCR, who is firm that unions were leading the employees up the garden path, wants them to see the game plan and switch sides.
During the news conference last Saturday, the chief minister gave yet another opportunity to the protesting workers to report for duty by Tuesday midnight. He categorically stated that here was no question of merging the corporation with the State government and if the employees insist on it, they can kiss goodbye to their jobs as the private sector is already there to take care of the transportation needs of the people. In other words, he was warning the employees that he would ensure molecular disintegration of the TSRTC.
After a month of deadlock, both the sides are starting to show signs of fatigue. They have let the veneer of confidence, of having their way on the issue of strike, slip, and it was expected too. When KCR asked the employees to report for duty by Tuesday, he unwittingly betrayed a sense of nervousness over the image of Hyderabad, and that of Telangana, taking a hit, due to lack of proper transportation facility. And then there was the wrath of the people his government incurred considering, unlike AP, the only mode of transportation in Telanagana is by road. In AP almost all places are connected by railway network also.
He also said that the employees and workers were like his children and that their welfare was of equal concern to him, which was a sign of mellowing of his stand as he cannot afford to rub RTC employees on the wrong side of their shoulder for long, considering the latter, along with their family and relatives are a huge constituency of voters too. If they stand dismissed, he would have to pay a heavy political price in the future. This despite KCR’s supporters saying that the TRS’ blockbuster victory in Huzurnagar byelection could be interpreted as people’s endorsement of the Chief Minister’s line on RTC strike.
On the other hand, the TSRTC JAC is also appearing a little edgy with employees either committing suicide or dying of heart attacks. It is quite understandable that it is finding it difficult to sustain the agitation for longer periods, as keeping the wolf away from the door would soon become difficult for the employees. As they have not received their salaries for two months, they have to either depend on their savings, or borrow money, both of which cannot go on for long.
Though, so far, only a few employees have returned to work, the JAC is no longer in a position to drive a hard bargain with the State. On Monday, JAC convenor E Aswathama Reddy said that if the State invites the unions for talks, then they could decide which demands could be dropped and which could be discussed, hinting that they may not be insisting on a merger, and that they were prepared to adopt a line of give and take.May be after November 7, when the High Court resumes hearing on the issue, both the parties may come to the negotiation table, and resolve the issue for good. However, if the strike were to continue, neither the employees nor the government, stand to benefit.