After 48 days, TSRTC employees call off strike

The Joint Action Committee of the Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TSRTC) employees unions here on Tuesday declared their willingness to join duties provided the Telangana government sets no preconditions for the employees to join duties.

The 50,000 strong TSRTC employees entered into an indefinite strike on 5 October bringing the public transport system to a grinding halt from the past 48 days.

A decision in this regard was taken after a meeting of major unions on Wednesday.

“The High Court has given us two weeks of time to explain our demands to the Labour Court. We as representatives of the employees undertook the strike only for redressed of our problems, but not with negligence,” E Aswathama Reddy, the convener of the JAC said in a statement.

He expressed hope that the government and the TSRTC management will create an atmosphere conducive for the employees to join their duties. “They will not sign any document other than the duty chart,” Aswathama Reddy said.

He made it clear that it is the responsibility of the TSRTC management to create an atmosphere that prevailed before 5 October.

The JAC also assured the families of those employees that have committed suicide during the long period of strike that the union will protect them. The JAC also declared that they are ready for talks with the management.

However, the Telangana government which has given two chances for the employees to return to duties so far has yet to make a formal offer.