MSRTC employees' strike about to enter third week

The strike of Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) employees entered its 20th day on Tuesday with the state-run bus service remaining paralyzed in most places, officials said.

The agitating employees did not budge from their demand of merger of the loss-making corporation with the state government.

An MSRTC official said that out of 92,266 employees, 7,623 reported to work during the day, over 700 more compared to Monday.

As of 6 pm, the corporation had managed to run only 66 buses, he said.

On Monday, 5,274 administrative employees, 1,918 workshop employees, 295 drivers and 136 conductors had reported to work.

Shekhar Channe, vice-chairman and managing director of the corporation, told PTI that Ajaykumar Gujar, president of the Maharashtra Rajya Kanishtha Vetanshreni ST Kamgar Sanghatana, submitted his union's written stand on the merger demand before the high court-appointed three-member committee in the evening.

All 250 bus depots of the MSRTC have been shut since November 9. The strike began on October 28.

"There is status quo. All depots are closed," said an official earlier in the day.

The corporation had managed to operate over 100 buses on Monday.

A merger with the state government will give MSRTC workers the status of government employees and resultant benefits.

The MSRTC had said last week that despite accumulated losses of Rs 12,000 crore, it paid the salaries for the last 18 months.

It also fulfilled other demands such as increase in the dearness allowance, house rent allowance and Diwali gifts for the employees, it said.

Ordinary commuters are suffering and the MSRTC is losing Rs 15 to 20 crore every day due to the strike, it had said.

Union minister of state for social justice Ramdas Athawale on Tuesday visited Azad Maidan in south Mumbai and extended support to MSRTC employees who have staged an indefinite sit-in agitation there.