20.10.17

MSRTC strike enters third day

Maharashtra State Transport Road Corporation buses remained off roads as the union's strike entered the third day on Thursday. The union rejected the state government's offer to hike wages. An eight-hour meeting of the MSRTC staffers with the state government's representatives on Wednesday had remained inconclusive. The meeting, which started in the afternoon, went on till 1 am on Thursday .

Maharashtra transport minister Diwakar Raote said that the government has offered the union a “fair deal“. “We cannot give them one penny more than what we have offered. Now the union leaders have to take a call. In the 77 years of the corporation, such a large hike hasn't been given,“ said Raote. On Thursday, only 38 of the total 57,000 hit the road, causing huge inconvenience to lakhs of passengers. These buses ran from Pen, Raigad, Aurangabad and Nashik. The union, which has been demanding implementation of the Seventh Pay Commission's recommendations, rejected the government offer of 25% wage hike. The government had offered a monthly salary of Rs.15,300 for junior grade employees like driver, conductor and mechanics after one year of service. Those who have completed 15 years of service would have got a hike of Rs.7,000. The wage hike, if implemented, would have cost the state corporation Rs.2,500 crore.

It is estimated that the state transport corporation has suffered losses to the tune of nearly Rs.55 crore over the last three days. Sources said that stern measures, including suspension and removal from service, besides filing police cases will be initiated from Friday .

The corporation has already began disconnecting power and water connections from the rooms of drivers and conductors.

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