The proposed indefinite strike by 10 unions of the crew of Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TSRTC) from the midnight of Sunday was dropped after the government conceded an interim relief (IR) of 16% of basic pay, pending recommendations by the Pay Revision Commission (PRC).
The decision was announced by the Ministers’ Committee headed by Finance Minister Eatala Rajender, which held marathon discussions with the unions led by the majority union Transport Mazdoor Union (TMU). As the stalemate in the talks between the two sides continued for the fourth day, the Ministers’ Committee referred the matter to Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao on Sunday afternoon. He, in turn, gave consent for providing IR of 16% as an immediate measure. The announcement of the 16% IR to the employees, effective July 1 this year, would translate into a ₹16-crore burden on the corporation every month, adding up to nearly ₹200 crore a year. Ministers T. Harish Rao, who is also honorary president of the TMU, K.T. Rama Rao, P. Mahender Reddy, and G. Jagadishwar Reddy also participated in the talks.