Work resumption deadline ends, MSRTC staff adamant

Broken and defective auto-rickshaws mounted on ST buses at the Nehru Nagar stand. Pic/Sayyed Sameer Abedi

Even as a lot of MSRTC employees continue with their protest, an inter-state bus left for Hyderabad from the Latur depot on Monday, for the first time since the strike started on October 28.

Though the deadline set by the state government for the employees to resume duty ended on Monday, most of the workers remained adamant about their stand. However, about 149 suspended employees resumed work.

The union representatives on Monday gave a presentation on their stand and what could be done constitutionally as a way out of the mess. They said that the government was entirely responsible for the mess. "We gave a detailed presentation to the government. It is solely responsible for the crisis. We have provided details about the financial status and what can be done to salvage the situation," said Shashank Sharad Rao, president of Sangharsh ST Kamgar Union.

"We are trying to resume operations, but many employees who are on strike are trying to stop it by any means possible. There have been instances when striking women employees were found trying to stop those who have joined work," said an MSRTC employee.

The MSRTC employees have been on an indefinite strike over their demand for merger of the cash-strapped corporation with the state government. A High Court-appointed committee is looking into the demand and the government has offered an interim salary hike, but employees have remained adamant.