RTC Strike In Hyderabad From Jan 5

Employees of APSRTC have called for a strike from the first shift tomorrow.

On 14 December 2009, the National Mazdoor Union (NMU) had demanded from the APSRTC a 25% hike in pay scale – a revision that was supposed to have been implemented in April 2009, in accordance with the RTC management’s agreement that the scale would be revised every 4 years.

However, APSRTC had cited losses of Rs. 1,250 crores, and said it would even have to bear losses in the year 2009-10 because of hikes in fuel prices. The Telangana agitation had also contributed losses of another Rs. 50 crore to the corporation. A pay revision would mean an additional burden of Rs. 4,000 crores on the management, RTC had said.

After the talks broke down, the NMU called for an indefinite strike from 6 Jan 2010 onwards. The NMU’s demands also include the regularization of the 20,000 contract workers of APSRTC.

However, the State government today imposed a 6-month ban on strikes in APSRTC under the Essential Services Maintenance Act.

RTC employees have said they are not afraid of any GO, and that they will go on with the indefinite strike, irrespective of whether they are arrested or charged with lathis. The APSRTC has invited the NMU for talks tomorrow.

The APSRTC, meanwhile, is reported to have agreed to a hike in bus fares by 5 to 8 paise per km for ordinary services, 6 to 10 paise for express services and 8 to 12 paise for super deluxe services, to mobilise about Rs. 500-750 crore to nullify part of the losses. No clearance has been obtained from the government in this regard, though.