Contract workers' strike affects tourism operations

Tirupati: The tourism operations at several places in Chittoor district were affected as the manpower including guides and daily wage workers went on strike. As the management of Tourism Corporation did not respond positively so far to their demands, the workers intensified their protest on Monday and took out a rally and formed a human chain at SV Medical College circle blocking traffic for few minutes. Out of the total 1300 workers in the entire State, about 370 are in Chittoor district alone and the Tourism Development Corporation was forced to stop all operations in Tirupati. No tourism vehicles were plying to Srinivasa Mangapuram, Tiruchanur and Tirumala as majority of the workers are in strike since eight days. The workers are demanding equal pay-equal work and materialization of earlier promises made by management and abolition of 'agency system'. They are also demanding to convert the present 'manpower', guides and daily wage worker system into 'contract' system and to pay the remuneration on par with contract workers. On an average about 200 pilgrims are arriving at Tirupati every day and were finding different means to travel on their own as all tourism vehicles were confined to sheds. The situation is the same in Horsely Hills, a major tourism spot in Chittoor district. Divisional Manager of Tourism Corporation, Tirupati Prasad Reddy said that about 70 per cent of workers are on duty in Chittoor district, and the operations in select sectors were cancelled due to shortage of manpower. They are hopeful of ending the crisis by Tuesday as the task force is conducting meeting with agitators, he said. They are trying to improve the situation at Horsely Hills with the instructions to the existing workers and staff members, he said.