Justice Abhinandan Kumar Shavili of the Telangana High Court on Wednesday directed the counsel for TSRTC to secure instructions in a writ petition seeking payment of salary to the corporation’s employees for September.
The petition was filed by Telangana Jathiya Mazdoor Union of the TSRTC represented by its general secretary K. Hanumanthu. The petitioner’s lawyer, Chikkudu Prabhakar, told the court that 49,190 employees of the corporation were on strike from October 5.
He contended that normally, the corporation pays salary on the first of every month and during Dasara, even festival advance would be paid to the workers.
However, the corporation did not release the salary for September despite the employees working till October 4. They started the strike only after the midnight of October 4 after the talks with the management failed, the lawyer said. He argued that the strike was not illegal as the workers served notices to the management and went on strike only as a last resort.
Mr. Prabhakar said the apex court had, through different verdicts, held that the managements or the State can be directed to pay salary to the employees. The salary can be deposited in the HC Registry and disbursed to the employees. The RTC counsel said even the staff members who look after salary disbursal were on strike.
The petitioner’s lawyer told the court that employee unions would be ready to send 100 of their workers to execute the work relating to salary payment. He told the court that some workers had already attempted suicide, while another worker ended his life as he was unable to meet his monthly financial commitments.
Though the lawyer repeatedly requested the court to post the matter for hearing by Friday, the judge adjourned it to Monday.
