Telangana sets 6 a.m. deadline for TSRTC employees
Hyderabad: With the indefinite strike called by the employees of Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TSRTC) beginning Friday midnight, the state government warned that all those who failed to report to duty by 6 a.m. on Saturday will lose their jobs.
The government late Friday night announced that only those who report to duty by 6 a.m. on Saturday will be treated as the employees.
Those who don’t report by 6 a.m. Saturday will be deemed to have given up jobs on their own, said an official statement after Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao held a review meeting with transport minister and top officials.
The government made it clear that those failing to turn up will never be taken back in the state-owned corporation and assured full protection to those attending their duties.
Rao, who held the meeting soon after his return from New Delhi, took serious note of the decision of the Joint Action Committee (JAC) of TSRTC employee unions to go on strike from Friday midnight.
The government also dissolved the three-member committee of IAS officials constituted to look into the demands of the employees and declared that there will be no more talks with the union leaders.
After talks with the panel Friday morning, JAC leaders announced that all 50,000 employees will go on strike to press for their demands, the chief being merger of TSRTC with the government.
Transport minister P. Ajay, few senior MPs, government advisor Rajiv Sharma, Chief Secretary S.K. Joshi, Director General of Police Mahender Reddy, senior IAS officials Somesh Kumar, Sunil Sharma, Ramakrishna Rao and Narsing Rao attended the review meeting.
Three-member committee briefed the chief minister on the talks held with JAC leaders earlier in the day.
The government took strong exception to JAC calling for strike at a time when it was hoped that the income during Dasara and Butkamma festivals will be some help to TSRTC, which is neck-deep in losses.
Officials said the government has issued orders banning the strike. They maintained that if the employees resort to illegal strike, the organization has right to dismiss them from service.
They said all alternate arrangements were made to ensure that people do not face any hardship due to the strike.
Out of 10,000 buses of TSRTC, 2,100 are hired buses. Officials have made plans to operate these hired buses. They said 5,000 people have come forward to work as temporary drivers. With this, they claim to be in a position to operate 7,000 buses.