RTC employees elated over merger decision in Tirupati

Tirupati: "We are also government employees' hereafter and not workers in the Corporation. We can get our due automatically henceforth and there will be no need for going on strike even for salary hikes", this was how the staff and workers of APSRTC have reacted soon after cabinet meeting where the decision to merge APSRTC with the State government has taken.

Cutting across Union affiliations, they have been praising the Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy and Transport Minister Perni Nani for fulfilling their promise soon after coming to power putting an end to decades-old demand.

Apart from benefitting 53,500 employees of RTC from Attender to Executive Director, the merger will help the people as well as the government can run buses in all important routes irrespective of profit and loss criteria for the sake of providing good public conveyance.

Especially, there will be no need for cutting the number of services or routes in the name of 'non-feasible'. This will be more helpful for villagers as government can take care of their transport needs.

The State Working President of YSR RTC Mazdoor Union Challa Chadraiah, State Deputy General Secretary of RTC recognised Employees Union (EU) Avula Prabhakar and State Joint Secretary and Regional Secretary of National Mazdoor Union (NMU) BS Babu have echoed same views.

Speaking to The Hans India, they said that the main factor that was contributing to huge losses of RTC was fuel bill. With increasing fuel bill and cost of raw materials, RTC was dragged into financial burden.

The fuel budget itself accounts for about Rs 1,800 crore per annum and 75 per cent of it will be saved with the introduction of electric buses. They reminded that government was intending to buy 3,000 electric buses in its first phase taking the number to 10,000 in 4-5 years.

The decision to create a separate department called 'Public Transport Department' was hailed. By becoming government employees, the staff of RTC were seeing no need to go on strike for revision of pay scales and other financial matters as they will get automatically along with other government servants. Without any hurdles, they can get their salaries through the treasury and get job security too.

"The drivers and conductors have no job security now. Based on the complaints of passengers, there is a system of removing them from service which pushes them into severe pressure.

Such things are expected to change in the new set up", said Chandriah. Expressing the same opinion, the other two leaders opined that this may bring some complacency also in the employees which they have to take care of to increase the faith on the government.

Though government has announced three months-time to formulate guidelines, the staff have been demanding all benefits which the government employees were getting as of now be extended to them also. They were also happy that their retirement age will go up to 60 years on par with government employees but demanding the retirement and pension benefits also without any discrimination.

Avula Prabhakar Yadav of EU underlined that the government merger will not be a loss to government as RTC has about Rs 50,000 crores of fixed assets in the State which were earned with the hard work of workers.

It has another Rs 3,000 to 3500 crore of assets in Telangana which the government has to secure by deliberating with that State by seeking Centre's cooperation. While YSR RTC Mazdoor Union leaders have performed 'Palabhishekam' to Jagan's portrait on Wednesday, other unions have planned celebrations on Thursday in the presence of local MLA B Karunakar Reddy.