Hyderabad, April 21 (IANS) Employees of Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TGSRTC) are gearing up for an indefinite strike from Tuesday midnight to press for their demands, even as the management has invited them for talks.

A couple of hours after the Joint Action Committee (JAC) of the TGSRTC employees announced that the employees would go ahead with their strike, the management invited JAC leaders for talks.

Top officials of TGSRTC asked the JAC leaders to be available for talks. The time and venue will be informed later.

This came a couple of hours after JAC leaders announced that they would go ahead with the strike.

JAC chairman Eeduru Venkanna told media persons that all unions have extended their support to the strike call.

He stated that neither RTC officials nor the government invited them for talks, nor have they taken even minimal measures to avert the strike. He further pointed out that despite their demand to merge RTC with the government, their plea has been ignored.

The RTC JAC Chairman asserted that the government ignored the issue of merger even after explicitly including it in its election manifesto.

He said that the government constituted a committee as a delaying tactic. He said that though they served the strike notice 41 days ago, the government has not responded.

Venkanna stated that they are compelled to resort to a strike due to unavoidable circumstances. He alleged that, under the pretext of introducing electric buses, attempts are being made to transfer employees currently stationed at Hyderabad depots to the districts.

He expressed outrage, accusing the government of conspiring to cripple the RTC. He further alleged that there is a plot to hand over the RTC to private entities. He alleged that the government is attempting to intimidate the workers.

“Let no one be afraid; the workers are ready to go on strike. Our legitimate demands must be resolved,” he said.

He questioned why the Hyderabad Metro Rail system was merged with the government immediately, while it was reluctant to merge the RTC.

–IANS

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