MSRTC is one of India’s largest state-run transport corporations, with almost 16,000 buses at service. It employs more than 93,000 people, including drivers and conductors. The strikes started around October 27, and they continue making it hard for commuters.
Monday News
All the commuters and travellers received quite a shock as workers of Maharashtra State Road State Cooperation went on a sudden strike that stopped all buses’ movement in the Pune division.
No buses are plying to or from the city, and the situation is the same in Nashik, Dadar, Kolhapur and other districts all over Maharashtra. The motive of the strike is for the ST workers union to merge MSRTC with the State government as soon as possible.
The last strike was aimed mainly over non-payment of wages, and it also included this demand. While the state government agreed to most of the requests, they said that the merger issue would be discussed and decided later.
However, a few factions of the Union continued their protests, and last evening, the core body of the Union had agreed to support the protest.
Bombay HC Hearing
Last week, the Bombay High Court called for an end to the agitation, which is continuing despite a restraining order. The Union announced on Sunday eve that not even a single bus would leave the bus depots from midnight.
Around 129 depots in Maharashtra have continued to remain non-operational or completely shut on Sunday. The workers cancelled Forty per cent of bus services because of the strike. Marathwada, Vidarbha and Northern Maharashtra are affected by this.
As part of its hearing on an urgent leave petition filed by the MSRTC on Wednesday evening, the HC instructed the corporation’s employees not to go on strike. The HC observed,
“Keeping in mind the immense hardship and inconvenience that will be caused to the members of the public. It is causing a lot of trouble to people who have set their festive travelling plans through MSRTC buses and services, we order the Respondents i.e., all the employees of the MSRTC to avoid or refrain from any kind of proceeding with the proposed rally/strike/stoppage of work from midnight of November 3 and/or thereafter, until further orders.”
The High Court punished Maharashtra Rajya Kanishth Vetanshreni ST Karmachari Sanghatana for continuing its strike despite the court’s order on Thursday.
On Monday, the Bombay High Court directed the Maharashtra government for setting up an exclusive committee that will look into the issue raised by staffers of the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC). The petition by the workers seeks treatment as statement government employees. (PTI)
Conclusion
The MSRTC employees spontaneously agitated on October 27 over various demands, including the DA merger with salary.
Though most of them have resumed their work after the Maharashtra government accepted most of their demands, the issue of the merger of the MSRTC remained unresolved.
