With the Telangana State Road Transport Corporation strike entering its 28th day on Friday, the longest in its history and surpassing the 27 days of 2011’s Sakala Janula Samme, workers said that they have not been paid salary for two consecutive months.
Syed Zameer, a driver of the Rajendranagar Bus Depot, who has been in service for over a decade said that the situation is indeed troubling. “ Dua ke haqdaar hain saab (We rightfully need prayers). I have a family comprising my mother, wife, five children and a younger brother. It has become difficult. Only God knows how we are surviving,” he says.
He rued that despite the strike being peaceful, it was unfortunate that the TSRTC management and State government were not willing to reconcile with workers of the transport juggernaut. “We have remained peaceful because the RTC is our blood and sweat. Why would anybody want to destroy what they have worked to build? We hope that the government listens to us soon,” he said.
The situation is similar with Rajagopal, a conductor of the same depot. While salaries are to be credited on the first of every month, for the past several months, there has been a delay. “We adjusted even if we got the salary four or five days later. But the issue is that we have not been paid for two months. There are a lot of problems because of this,” he said.
Meanwhile the TSRTC Joint Action Committee convener E. Ashwathama Reddy accused the government of misrepresenting facts in the court. He urged TSRTC workers not to take any extreme step. “Do not take your own life. We will be together. We will fight against the management together. Whatever the case may be, do not take your own life,” he said.
