RTC Strike ends, APSRTC Strike, Telangana RTC strike ends, TSRTC strike comes to end

As per the latest reports, the RTC strike is likely to end by today as the Governments of both the Telugu states are in favour of fulfilling the demands of the RTC Union workers.

The Telangana and the AP governments directed the finance department to work out the financial implications of meeting the demands of employees, including payment of 43 per cent fitment.

The Telangana and AP cabinet sub-committee along with finance officials held talks with Chief Ministers K Chandrasekhar Rao and Chandrababu Naidu.

The Chief Ministers directed the cabinet sub-committee to try to strike a balance between the welfare of the employees and the RTC’s financial health.

The Telangana State government also roped in two more ministers, G Jagadish Reddy and Talasani Srinivas Yadav, as members of the cabinet sub-committee.
Following talks with KCR, the panel held a meeting on the possible financial burden on RTC. It directed finance secretary Pradeep Chandra to work out the likely financial burden on the RTC.

Though the employees are demanding 43 per cent fitment, the State government at first considered giving 30-37 per cent. If it does so, the additional annual financial burden on the RTC would be around `300-500 crore.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, earlier ruled out the possibility of giving in to the demands of striking RTC staff, who want 43 per cent fitment hike in their salaries. Chandrababu asked the AP Cabinet sub-committee, headed by Finance Minister Yanamala Ramakrishnudu, to convince the RTC employees to accept the proposed 27 per cent hike being offered by the AP government then.

Chandrababu Naidu during the Cabinet meeting held here on Tuesday, reportedly told his colleagues that the Telangana chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao was trying to create another proble for him by accepting the demands of the RTC employees. “Already KCR created problems for us by giving his government employees 43 per cent fitment of hike in their salaries.

Because of his act, we were forced to do the same. Now again, he is trying to put us in trouble by accepting RTC employees’ demands,” Naidu reportedly told his colleagues. “It is not possible for us to give 43 per cent fitment hike to RTC staff. If we give in to their demands, we will have to increase the fares of RTC buses. This will lead to great resentment among people, which is not good for our government,” the Chief Minister was quoted as saying.

Later, speaking to reporters at secretariat here, Labour Minister K Atchannaidu and Agriculture Minister P Pulla Rao said the financial positions of Telangana and AP are different and hence there is no question of giving the same salary hike to the RTC staff as is being offered by the TS government.

“Our situation is different from that of TS. TSRTC’s financial loss is much less than that of the APSRTC. Hence, it is not possible for the AP government to increase the RTC employees’ salaries as they are demanding,” Atchannaidu said.

He said the Cabinet sub-committee constituted to look into the issue had been asked to talk to the RTC employees’ unions again on Wednesday and find a solution at the earliest. “The Chief Minister has asked the sub-committee to convince the unions’ leaders to accept the government’s proposal and withdraw the strike,” he said.Meanwhile, AP Transport Minister Sidda Raghava Rao ruled out the government accepting the demand of 43 per cent fitment of RTC employees. “The State government is not in a position to give 43 per cent fitment to the RTC staff. The employees should understand and accept the fitment being offered by the State government,” he said.

However, KCR did not give any commitment on the fitment and left the matter to the cabinet sub-committee. “Once the finance officials submit their report, we will discuss the same with the CM on Tuesday. We will also hold talks with the two unions. If necessary, a meeting between unions and the CM will be arranged,” Labour Minister Narasimha Reddy said.

“We are hopeful that the issue will be resolved. We will ensure welfare of RTC employees and financial health of the RTC, without imposing much burden on the people in the form of hiked fares,” he added. Narasimha Reddy pointed out that the TSRTC’s accumulated loss was `1,700 crore. Around 56,000 employees have been on an indefinite strike demanding salaries on a par with State government employees.