No headway in talks with RTC employees

By Our Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD, OCT. 11. Talks between the Cabinet Sub-Committee constituted to negotiate with the APSRTC employees on their demands and the Joint Action Committee leaders failed to make any headway on Thursday.

Both sides stuck to their stands with the former maintaining that the Government could not afford to agree for any additional financial burden and the latter disagreeing. As for the losses, the JAC leaders reiterated their argument that the Government should reduce the Motor Vehicle Tax and compensate the loss sustained because of concessions to various sections, according to the union leadership.

The sub-committee would hold another meeting on Saturday afternoon to discuss a way out as the JAC has already given a call for an indefinite strike from October 15 (first duty onwards).

Meanwhile, the JAC held a dharna in front of the APSRTC MD's Office here this afternoon and denounced the Government's attitude. Addressing the gathering, the leaders said the losses shown by the management were due to the Government policies and not due to lack of efficiency on the part of the employees.

The Government had already given payscales to the employees of Electricity Board, Singareni Collieries Company Limited and even agreed to the demands of the NGOs. It was strange that instead of discussing the demands of the JAC, the management had opted for setting an agenda for the employees.

The Government should not have any illusions about the resolve of the employees and the unity forged by the National Mazdoor Union and the APSRTC Employees Union itself should be an eye-opener to it, they said.

The demands of the management were absurd and irrational and it was bent upon ruining the corporation, they said. The MV Tax had gone up from Rs.120 crore to Rs.360 crore in the recent past and the concessions given to some sections this year alone amounted to Rs.130 crore.

The corporation was taking an additional burden of Rs.1,162 crore, compared to the past and if the loss amounted to about Rs.600 crore, it was more due to the policies of placating the private operators at the cost of the corporation and forcing the corporation to bear the burden of concessions.

Mr.V. Raja Ram Mohan, deputy general secretary of the Employees Union, Mr.K.N. Narsinga Rao, State secretary of the NMU, and Mr.T.V.Rao of the CITU, addressed the gathering.

The JAC has welcomed the support of the Congress-I and the nine Left parties.

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Section  : Southern States
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