Interim pay hike announced, but MSRTC staff firm on merger

Protesting MSRTC employees at Azad Maidan on Wednesday. Pic/Pradeep Dhivar

Transport Minister Anil Parab on Wednesday announced an interim salary raise for all classes of MSRTC employees with immediate effect, promising to roll back suspensions and dismissals for all those who resume duty and salary disbursal within 10th of every month. Despite the minister's promises, protesting employees at Azad Maidan are firm on their demand for the merger of the cash-strapped transport corporation with the government.

The salary raise, a minimum of Rs 2,500 to Rs 5,000 for all those who have been in service between one to ten years, will take employees' total monthly salaries up by Rs 7,500, including allowances. Parab appealed to the protesters to return to work tomorrow, saying suspensions and dismissals would be revoked immediately. "I am giving an additional day to all those who are protesting in Mumbai to reach their workplaces and join back work. They can join a day later," he said.

"All this will lead to an additional burden of Rs 60 crore on the government. But we assure that we will also sympathetically look at all those who have committed suicide," he said. The minister said they will also work on giving incentives to all those employees who bring revenue to the corporation.

Parab said the pay hike is historic as never in the history of MSRTC such a raise had been given to employees. MSRTC has been suffering major losses since the lockdown and the state government has shelled out Rs 2,700 crore to support it so far. "We do not want a raise, but a merger. The battle that we have started will not end without the merger. We will not yield," said a protesting employee at Azad Maidan. Those leading the agitation said they will consult all employees on the government's offer and take a call in a day or two.

Rs 2,700 cr
Amount govt has spent to support MSRTC in pandemic