HYDERABAD: The deadlock between the state government and Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TGSRTC) employees ended late on Friday after more than 12 hours of talks at the Secretariat, with unions calling off their three-day strike. Bus services will resume from Saturday.
Announcing the outcome after 1 am, Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka said the government had taken positive decisions on employees’ concerns. “RTC is like our family. It is saddening that we lost a member of our family. The people’s government held discussions on their issues and took positive decisions,” he said.
The government agreed to hold elections for recognised RTC unions and directed the management to make arrangements for the same. On the long-pending merger issue, unresolved for nearly a decade, an official committee comprising government officials and labour representatives has been formed to examine the matter, Vikramarka said.
He also announced an 11% Pay Revision Commission (PRC) hike for employees after discussions on the corporation’s finances and the government’s fiscal capacity. RTC management was asked to continue discussions with unions on remaining demands.
Transport Minister Ponnam Prabhakar, IT Minister D Sridhar Babu, Labour Minister Vivek Venkatswamy represented the government in the discussions with JAC leaders.
Earlier, the government had indicated willingness to accept 29 of the 32 demands raised by unions, but talks continued over three issues — merger with the state government framework, union elections and pay revision.
Union leaders had sought implementation of the 2021 pay revision with 30% fitment and a proposed 2025 revision to bring salaries in line with government employees. The government said this would place a heavy financial burden on the exchequer.
TGSRTC JAC chairman Eduru Venkanna thanked the government for agreeing to resolving the issues that have been pending since 13 years.