Half of MSRTC staffers back at work

A substantial chunk of these employees – around 6,000 – resumed work following an order of the Bombay High Court last week.

Nearly 90,000 employees of the MSRTC, one of the largest inter-city bus systems in the country, went on a strike last year demanding the state-owned corporation be merged with the state government to enable them to avail the benefits of being a government servant.

Last week, the Bombay HC, while disposing of the contempt plea filed in a writ petition moved by the MSRTC against the employee trade union and others, had directed the staffers to resume duty by April 22. The court asked the government not to take any action against the striking staffers once they resumed duty and to withdraw the action taken earlier.

According to the MSRTC, there are 81,683 staffers on its attendance sheet at present and by the end of Thursday, a
total of 41,462 employees had returned to work.

An official said the return of over 40,000 staffers following the agitation is an indication that the strike is on the verge of ending and that the MSRTC bus services will soon resume.

The official said the staffers have time till April 22 to resume the service.

Until Thursday evening, MSRTC buses completed as many as 16,000 trips all over the state, earning the corporation a revenue of Rs 13 crore from issuance of tickets.

“All those who resumed work were reinstated immediately without taking any action against them. All those who would return to work before April 22 will be reinstated in a similar manner. However, action would be taken against those who would not join work by April 22,” said an official.