Hyderabad: The employees of the TSRTC have agreed to drop their demand of merger after 41 days of indefinite strike. The protesting employees also accused the Telangana government of misleading the court and the public.
"When talks were held earlier we had indicated that we were willing to drop some demands. However, the government kept sending messages that the employees were adamant on their demands. So the JAC decided to temporarily drop the merger demand. Now the Government should hold discussions on other demands," Ashwathama Reddy leader of the RTC unions said.
The announcement comes after the Hyderabad High Court posted to November 18 the case of the state government’s decision to privatise 5,100 bus routes of the Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TSRTC).
Reddy also slammed the KCR government for refusing to third party mediation through a committee of three retired Supreme Court judges as per high court orders.
He also urged the workers to refrain from taking extreme steps. Five RTC employees have allegedly committed suicide, while some others attempted to take their lives in different parts of Telangana since the strike began. He also demanded the release of those arrested during the strike.
Reddy requested urged the state government to fulfill their lawful demands, lest the strike would be intensified.
Finding fault with the K Chandrasekhar Rao-led government's move to privatise some of the routes, the union leader said it would cause escalation of ticket prices and lead to job losses.
“Approximately 27,000 people will lose their jobs with the privatisation of 5,100 routes," Reddy claimed.
Demanding merger of RTC with the government, revision of pay scales, filling up of vacancies and replacement of old vehicles among others, the TSRTC employees have been on strike from October 5.
The Telangana High Court is currently hearing a bunch of petitions on the issue.
(With PTI inputs)
Comments
0 comment