As the commuters endured a second day of the transport workers’ strike on Thursday, the government reiterated its stand on salary revision on Thursday, while inviting retired employees to rejoin service as part of alternative arrangements.
Principal secretary of Transport department Anjum Parvez said the workers of the four RTCs were not open for talks. Their demand for salary on a par with 6th pay commission was untenable.
He said the government will continue to work to expand the alternative transport services.
“We had 21,000 private vehicles, including buses, maxicabs and others, offering services today (Thursday). We are inviting retired RTC employees, so that the buses owned by the corporations can also be operated,” he added.
A notification issued later invited retired employees below 62 years of age to work on a contract basis, with an honorarium of Rs 800 for drivers and Rs 700 for conductors, provided they clear the fitness test, including vision test.
The principal secretary said the government had exempted the private vehicles from the permit system temporarily.
Reacting to the government’s “threats”, leader of striking workers Kodihalli Chandrashekhar said said the strike will continue.
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