More MSRTC employees resume duty

This picture has been used for representational purposes

Over 11,000 of the 92,266 MSRTC employees joined duty on Friday even as a number of delegations, firm on their demand of merger with the state government, met with state transport minister and MSRTC chairman Anil Parab.

Parab said, "I am appealing with folded hands that employees resume work. The financial condition of MSRTC is already bad. If it goes from bad to worse, it will not be good for both the government and the employees. If the industrial court announces the strike is illegal, we have a provision to cut eight day's salary for one day's absence and take strict action. Even after offering a salary hike, if the employees continue the strike, what is the use of giving it?"

A senior official from the state transport body said, "On Friday, 11,549 employees resumed duty and buses from 37 of the 259 depots resumed operations. The number is growing slowly as employees are returning to work." He said 6,973 of the 9,426 administrative employees, 3,549 of the 17,650 workers at divisional workshops, 594 of the 37,225 drivers, and 433 of the 28,055 bus conductors have resumed duty.

As on Friday, 80,717 employees were yet to resume.

MSRTC employees went on an indefinite strike from October 28 over their demand for merger of the cash-strapped corporation with the state government, and further intensified the strike after Diwali.