APSRTC staff plans indefinite strike from Feb 6

Vijayawada: After a series of meetings failed to yield results, the employees of APSRTC on Wednesday decided to go on indefinite strike from February 6 to press the government to concede their demands. Among the demands include hike in salaries by 50 per cent, regularisation of the contract workers, merger of the corporation with the government, scrapping of the motor vehicle tax and release of pending arrears.

The APSRTC, which is one of the biggest public transport corporations in the country with 52,000 employees and more than 10,000 buses, is known for its efficient service; covering every nook and corner of the state.

The RTC employees under the banner of JAC issued a strike notice to APSRTC chairman Varla Ramaiah and vice-chairman and managing director N Surendrababu on December 31. 

The JAC said that if their demands are met before February 6, it would withdraw the strike. Several employees’ unions have attended a series of meetings conducted by the RTC management to reach an agreement, but they could not break any ice. The JAC, which met once again on Wednesday at the RTC House, has decided to begin the indefinite strike on February 6.

JAC convener Palisetti Damodara Rao along with co-conveners Ch Sundara Rao and V Varahala Naidu said that the RTC will start protests in 13 districts of Andhra Pradesh on January 25 as part of the preparations for the indefinite strike and will attend the duties wearing black badges from January 26 to 28.

The employees will conduct one-day hunger strike on January 28 at 128 RTC bus depots and stage ‘Maha Dharna’ on January 30 demanding the government to concede their demands.

P Damodara Rao said the RTC is suffering losses due to the increase of diesel prices and operating 5,000 Palle Velugu buses. Each Palle Velugu bus incurs a loss of Rs 5 to Rs 7 for every kilometre. Palle Velugu buses are huge burden on the RTC.

This is the reason RTC is facing loss of Rs 700 to Rs 800 croreevery year. The proposal for pay hike has been pending from April 2017, he said. Rao demanded that the state government allocate at least Rs 3,000 crore to the RTC to save the organisation. 

Co-convener Ch Sundara Rao demanded that the government release a white paper as to how much the government had allocated to the RTC during the last few years. He felt that the government should allocate Rs 3,000 crore to save the RTC. The employees have no option but to go on strike because the management is not fulfilling the demands of the staff, he said.