RTC JAC Calls Off Strike, Asks Employees To Rejoin

TSRTC employee unions' JAC Convener Ashwatthama Reddy today announced the calling off of the bus strike, after 52 days of continuous protests.

Talking to mediapersons at the employee unions' office after a meeting, Reddy appealed to the RTC employees to get back to their duties from Tuesday.

He said that all the employees of the first and the second shifts should come to their depots on time and rejoin work.

He also said that the temporary drivers and conductors should not come to duties from Tuesday as the employees had called off their strike and would resume duties.

The JAC leader said that there was a high degree of concern in the JAC over the suicides and deaths of the RTC employees due to fear of losing jobs.

"In the best interests of the employees, we have called off the strike," he said.

"We hope KCR will take the RTC employees back into services as the court suggested," he added.

Putting on a brave face, Reddy also said that the JAC had won morally, and that the government was defeated since it had refused to hold talks.

He expressed hope that the employees would get justice from the Labour Commissioner who the High Court directed investigate the strike.

"We will continue protests in phases over our demands, and the government should address the same," he added.

The JAC leader also flayed Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao for belittling the court by defying its suggestions to hold talks and resolve the RTC employees' crisis.

He also said that the JAC would oppose the government's move to privatize bus routes.

He thanked all the employees for participating in the RTC strike, and vowed to provide help to the families of the deceased employees.