Telangana: RTC unions firm on strike, public transport system may see major disruption

TGSRTC unions under the Joint Action Committee have announced a statewide strike from April 22 after failed talks with the state government. Leaders are mobilising workers, demanding implementation of promises, merger with the government, and improved pay and job security.

Hyderabad: The state public transport system may see a major disruption as unions of the Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TGSRTC), under the Joint Action Committee (JAC), have called for a statewide strike starting from April 22. The decision, the JAC members said, was the outcome of failed negotiations with the state government over long-pending grievances.

JAC Vice-President Thomas Reddy said the members have been touring across the State and participating in meetings, urging the workers to take part in the strike irrespective of unions and make it a huge success.

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“We requested the workers not to bow down to pressure from the management or the government. It has been a regular thing that workers are heeding to the pressure. But this time, we are strong,” said Thomas Reddy.

The JAC leader demanded that the state government implement its promises made to RTC workers in the Congress party’s election manifesto immediately. “Neither the government nor the management has called the workers for discussions as yet. If they had called and listened to us, we think the problem would have been sorted out long back,” he pointed out.

Demanding the merger of TGSRTC into the state government, he said the government should provide pay scales and job security to workers, besides taking up the new recruitment process. He also demanded that the government hand over the electric buses to RTC.

List of demands from JAC:

*Implement all promises made in government manifesto for RTC staff.

*Resolve financial issues and merge RTC employees into government service.

*Increase allowances and benefits from 2017 and clear pending dues, including for retirees.

*Implement 2021 pay revision with 30 per cent fitment and ensure parity with government employees in 2025 revision.

*Purchase new buses and modernize the corporation.

*Government should take over RTC debts and allocate 3 per cent of budget annually.

*Procure electric buses through government and set up new depots, avoid giving RTC land to private EV operators.

*Release CCS,SRBS and PF funds and conduct elections for CCS.

*Replace zero-ticket scheme with smart cards for women and increase bus frequency.

*Clear monthly dues of Rs 400 crores without cuts and pay Rs 2,500 crore pending arrears.

*Regularise jobs for dependents and consolidated employees, increase age limit to 44 years.

*Fill vacancies and grant promotions to eligible staff.

*Provide 21-day attendance incentive and strengthen workshops and production units.

*Appoint regular staff in Tarnaka Hospital and improve facilities for patients and attendants.

*Enhance medicate facilities for employees and extend benefits to parents in super-specialty hospitals.

*Ensure adequate medicine supply and bear medical test expenses.

*Clear all retirement dues and settle benefits on the day of retirement.

*Cancel centralization in the accounts department and restore old system.

*Remove retired outsourced officers and fill posts through promotions.

*Stop outsourcing of drivers, conductors and mechanics.

*Allow use of earned leave beyond 300 days before retirement.

*Provide proper facilities including drinking water and parking sheds in all units.

*Revise outdated regulations to ensure job security.

*Reinstate employees who were suspended or removed unfairly.

*Provide postings to those who passed Junior Assistant tests and fill remaining posts through departmental exams.

*Give another chance for higher pension applications and issue EPF demand notices.

*Withdraw police cases filed during 2019 strike

*Merge hired buses and their staff into RTC.

*Implement 8-hour work shifts and ensure better conditions for women staff.

*Transfer employees from Andhra region to APSRTC.

*Ensure proper verification in breath analyser tests including retests and blood tests if needed.

*Stop forcing Hyderabad staff to work in districts.