The ongoing strike by employees of the Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TSRTC) continued for the 46th day on Tuesday as their leaders postponed the decision on ending it. Various employees’ unions held separate meetings in Hyderabad to discuss the course of action as the Telangana High Court directed the Labour Commissioner to take a decision on the strike in two weeks. The unions authorised their apex body, the Joint Action Committee (JAC), to decide on the continuance of strike.
JAC convenor Ashwathama Reddy said that the decision would be taken after the HC judgment on a petition challenging the government move to privatise 5,100 TSRTC routes. During the hearing on the main petitions relating to the strike on Monday, the JAC’s counsel had submitted that employees were ready to resume work, but sought direction to the government and the TSRTC to take back all employees and not to take any action against them. The court declined to give any directions, but hoped no action would be taken against employees.
The HC on Tuesday heard the petition regarding privatisation of TSRTC routes. It wanted to know from the petitioner’s counsel as to how the state cabinet’s decision to privatise TSRTC routes could be faulted. The Division Bench, headed by Chief Justice R.S. Chauhan, also observed that there was no law against privatisation. Under the Motor Vehicle Act, the state government had control over RTC, it said. The striking workers are demanding better wages and regulated working hours among other things. Though the JAC last week announced temporarily dropping the main demand of the TSRTC’s merger with the government, the latter gave no indication of any imminent talks to break the impasse.
