Section of MSRTC staff still on strike; say it’s only way to see demands met

The government last week announced an unprecedented 41% hike for workers, to placate the agitating MSTRTC employees. However, the staff is firm on their original demand and has not accepted the government announcement

PUNE: Even as most state transport employees have returned to duty, a large section is still refusing to resume work demanding the merger of the Maharashtra State Regional Transport Corporation (MSRTC) with the state government – a demand that has been refused by those in power.

A large section of the agitating employees backed by prominent lawyer, Gunratan Sadavarte, still believe that this is their best chance to get demands accepted by the government even as Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders, who were earlier backing the protest, have now withdrawn from it. (Hindustan Times)

Instead, the government last week announced an unprecedented 41% hike for workers, to placate the agitating employees. However, the staff is firm on their original demand and has not accepted the government announcement. A large section of the agitating employees backed by prominent lawyer, Gunratan Sadavarte, still believe that this is their best chance to get demands accepted by the government even as Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders, who were earlier backing the protest, have now withdrawn from it.

Sadavarte, who is fighting the legal battle in the high court for the protesting employees, said, “I am very positive that the state government will soon listen to our demand. After a long time, the entire nation and even the state of Maharashtra has seen the unity of workers without any union or flag. We believe in the state, we are not radicals, and the state has to follow constitutional principles in letter and spirit. More than 40 workers committed suicide. This time, the state government should think twice.”

Sunday marked the 22nd day of the strike as services at many depots were operational only partially while no buses were seen plying along some routes in the state. With a fleet of 18,500 buses and 96,000 employees, the MSRTC has been a favoured and trustworthy mode of transport for many in Maharashtra even as the corporation has suffered losses year after year. The most crucial part of the current agitation has been that the striking workers have refused to be part of any union as all unions are affiliated to some or the other political party.

Sanjay Mundhe, a driver from Swargate depot, who has been suspended, said, “It’s been hard to survive so long without any union or organisation support in the strike, but now every common worker of the organisation has realised the importance of this strike and most of us have decided to fight till the end. We are firm about taking the strike forward till our major demand of merging with the state government is fulfilled.”

When asked about the salary hike offer made by the state transport minister, Mundhe said, “This has already happened once with us a few years back. For the time being, the government gives a hike in salary but after the protests die down, it is revoked or adjusted without making much difference to the original payout. So we do not believe in any of their words and all the workers across the state are firm on continuing the strike.”

Covid-19 pushed an already loss-ridden state transport body over the edge with MSRTC forced to raise funds. As the corporation delayed staff salaries during Covid-19 after buses were pulled off roads due to lockdowns and restrictions, some workers were forced to take extreme steps. According to the agitating MSRTC staff, around 40 of their workers committed suicide due to the Covid-induced financial crisis. Many believe that if the corporation is absorbed into the government, such a situation will not arise in future.

Even after the high court (HC) intervened in the issue and called the strike “illegal”, instructing workers to resume duty, a large number of workers across the state are still reluctant to resume work. The workers believe that they are left with no option but to continue with the strike considering the financial uncertainty the corporation has been facing. They also know the government’s limitation in not being able to recruit drivers quickly without imparting proper training.

Till now, the organisation has suspended over 7,800 workers from across divisions. While the MSRTC management has claimed that around 18,000 protesting workers have resumed work, most of them are from the clerical, administrative and workshop departments. The majority of drivers and conductors - who are the backbone of the ST bus service - have still not resumed work.

On the other hand, the government has repeatedly made it clear that a committee appointed on the direction of the HC is looking into the demand for a merger. During an interaction with reporters last week, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar said, “I read the statement of transport minister Anil Parab that the state government will consider the recommendations of the committee seriously, so the issue of the merger is currently pending before the HC committee and I do not want to speak on that issue.”

Pawar said that if the demand for the merger is accepted for these employees, it will have to be applied to the staff of other departments - who are not government employees but are associated with government services - as well. “There are 15 to 16 other departments whose staffers are not government employees, but are associated with the respective services. If we want to consider all these employees together for the merger, then perhaps, the government will have to run for such purpose only and there is doubt that the funds will be available for development projects,” Pawar noted.

For the workers though, it has become a “do or die” situation as they look towards an uncertain future. Deepak Garjale, a conductor at one of the Pune depots, said, “It feels bad to go on strike for so long and that too during the peak season of Diwali. We understand that passengers are suffering but we also do not have a choice as it is a matter of life or death for us. Already 40 workers have committed suicide due to this issue and many others have suffered health problems since the strike began. The state government should understand our sentiments and demands seriously, and give orders for a merger immediately.”

Speaking about the further plan of action, advocate Sadavarte stressed that the state government knows its limitations and that they have climbed down from their adamant position. “The state transport minister cannot appoint drivers directly from outside as 48 days’ training is compulsory and we will continue our legal fight till justice is meted out to the workers,” he said.

MSRTC - by the numbers

Total no. of MSRTC depots in the state - 250

Number of employees - 96,000

Total no. of bus fleet with MSRTC - 18,500

Workers suspended till now - 7,500

Workers dismissed till now - 1,496

Workers who have resumed work till now - 18,000