HYDERABAD: The state government has finally succeeded in breaking the strike of RTC staff by holding talks with the leaders of National Mazdoor Union (NMU), the recognised RTC union.After the talks held in the presence of transport minister Botcha Satyanarayana on Monday, the NMU leaders agreed to call off their 21-day long strike.Later, the RTC officials and NMU leaders signed a memorandum of understanding in this regard.After reaching an agreement with the government, NMU state leader Mahamood announced that the strike was called off keeping in view the problems faced by passengers.Answering to a question, Mahamood said there was no Telangana Forum in their union and the government held talks with the state unit of NMU.The transport minister said the Centre and state government had recognised the importance of Telangana issue. The Central government would take a decision soon on the T issue. The minister along with the NMU leaders hurriedly left the place after making the announcement.While briefing newsmen on the agreement, APSRTC managing director B Prasada Rao said the government had agreed to consider the strike period as a special leave and also pay salaries to all the striking staff.The government had also agreed to pay Rs15,000 to regular employees and Rs10,000 to contract employees as advance apart from festival advance of Rs 3,000 to all the staff.Rao also said the NMU leaders urged the government to waive the Motor Vehicle Tax of Rs 375 crore on RTC buses as the organisation is in the red.The NMU leaders also appealed to the government to withdraw cases registered against the RTC employees during the strike.The government responded positively to the demand and promised to look into it. It also promised to consider regularisation of contract employees which came for discussion during the meeting. The RTC managing director warned that disciplinary action would be initiated against the employees who violate the norms of the agreement.All the RTC regional managers were asked to seek police protection to run buses. He hoped that the situation would come to normal in a couple of days.Though the RTC management and NMU leaders announced that the strike was called off, RTC employees of Telangana Forum opposed the agreement.Telangana Forum convener E Aswathama Reddy told Express that some leaders in NMU had yielded to the money and other incentives offered by the RTC management. He made it clear that the strike would continue till the separate Telangana state was formed.According to sources, there was a split in the recognised NMU. One group is in favour of calling off the strike, while the other is against the agreement reached by the NMU with the government.
Comments
0 comment