HYDERABAD: Expressing displeasure with the inaction of both the State government and the TSRTC management in resolving the ongoing strike by the TSRTC employees, a division bench of Telangana High Court on Friday directed the managing director of TSRTC to invite the trade union leaders for negotiations as early as possible.
The court pointed out how the union leaders had stated that their main demand — the merger of RTC with the government — was not a prerequisite condition for talks. “Keep aside your egos. Both the parties should be cooperative and open to negotiations,” the bench instructed the government, the corporation and the trade unions.
The bench, comprising Chief Justice Raghvendra Singh Chauhan and Justice A Abhishek Reddy, asked all parties involved to keep in mind the agonies of the common man before going to the negotiation table, and find an amicable solution to the issue at the earliest. A report on the outcome is to be submitted before the court by October 28.
When the matter came up for hearing, additional advocate general (AAG) J Ramachandra Rao submitted that the government had taken all measures to mitigate the commuters’ sufferings. “Around 87 per cent of the buses are still running and the educational institutions will start functioning from October 21. Talks failed at the meeting convened by the conciliation officer,” he said.
Meanwhile, in the additional counter affidavit by TSRTC representatives, it was stated that the corporation was incurring losses to a tune of `1,200 crore per year. “The unions were irresponsible. The strike has caused severe inconvenience to the public and huge financial loss to the corporation. TSRTC is depending on government assistance to pay monthly wages to the employees. Hence, enhancement of wages to the staff is detrimental to the very existence of TSRTC,” the in-charge MD of TSRTC noted in the affidavit.As for the demand to merge the corporation into the government, the bench said that the burden it would cause on the government can be looked into and discussed. When the bench asked what was wrong in considering the remaining 50 per cent of the demands, the AAG submitted that the unions raised the merger demand for the first time, and then refused to have talks unless the demand was met.
Meanwhile, senior counsel D Prakash Reddy, appearing for the trade unions, disputed the AAG’s submission and said that the united AP government had issued a GO back in 2013, constituting a committee to look into the demand for merger. “Also, the unions are now willing to conduct negotiations without any condition,” he added.
The bench then passed orders directing the TSRTC MD to invite the trade unions for talks. The matter has been posted to October 28 for further hearing.
Driver molests woman conductor
Hyderabad: A 21-year-old woman, who was temporarily employed as a conductor in a TSRTC bus, was allegedly molested by the bus driver on Thursday in Mancherial. The victim was a student and had taken up the temporary job to support her studies. The driver, Srinivas, made sure nobody was on board when he tried to molest her, say sources
TSRTC driver threatens to kill self
Nagarkurnool: A TSRTC driver climbed atop a tower connecting a 33/11 power-line and threatened to kill himself here on Friday. The incident happened close to the venue where the RTC JAC was holding a protest. Harischandra, 28, from Achampet, was depressed over his ‘self-dismissal’
CPI writes to NHRC seeking resolution
Hyderabad: The CPI has sought the intervention of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) for a resolution in the TSRTC workers’ strike on Friday. In an open letter addressed to the NHRC chairman D Raja, the CPI leaders said that the TSRTC workers were democratically staging protests demanding the merger of TSRTC with the government. The chief minister’s undemocratic way of unilaterally dismissing 48,000 workers caused the suicides, CPI leaders said