Hyderabad: RTC employees unions have expressed their resolve to go on strike from June 11 as their talks with Transport Minister M. Mahender Reddy failed on Friday.
The minister, along with senior officials, held talks with RTC unions. He assured that a separate committee would be constituted to look into demands of employees.
He said that the Committee would study the good practices of corporations in other States to implement the same in TSRTC. He said justice would be done with RTC employees.
Mahender Reddy said that the RTC has been running in huge losses of nearly Rs. 700 crore every year. Of 97 deports, only 11 are making profits.
He said RTC was in debts of over Rs. 3,500 crore and it has been paying Rs. 250 crore only towards interest. He said increase in salaries would put an additional burden of Rs. 1400 crore. He said besides taking care of 35,000 RTC employees, the government also needs to consider the State’s interest.
However, union leader Asthadham Reddy said that there was no question of withdrawing the strike call. Responding to the warning issued by Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao of suspending employees who go on strike, he said that the Chief Minister was being misled by some officials on the issue.
He said instead of thinking about employees’ welfare, government is talking about profit and loss.
RTC chairman S. Satyanarayana, Transport Department Principal Secretary Sunil Sharma, RTC Managind Director Ramana Rao, employees union leaders Raji Reddy, Hanumantha, V.S. Rao, Ibrahim, Ramesh Kumar, Yadaiah, S. Suresh and Yadagiri also participated in the talks. (INN)