Meru strike ends as management gives in to demand

Commuters using fleet cab services can heave a sigh of relief as Meru Cab drivers have called off their strike after resolving their issues with the administration.

Commuters using fleet cab services can heave a sigh of relief as Meru Cab drivers have called off their strike after resolving their issues with the administration.

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Almost 1,700 Meru cabs went off roads for three days. On Wednesday, a section of drivers resorted to violence demanding that 21 of their colleagues be reinstated. The administration had terminated their contracts for their involvement in violence during the past agitations. The management refused to entertain this demand.

However, on Saturday the management met Nitesh Rane, head of the Swabhiman Sanghatna. Rane’s group has formed an unofficial union at Meru and is leading this agitation.

After the discussions, the Meru administration gave in and withdrew its decision to terminate the contracts of the drivers.

Rajesh Puri, CEO Meru Cabs, said, “All Meru subscribers will now be able to get back to business. Services have been resumed today [on Saturday] as the few agitating drivers, have called off the strike. By tomorrow, the entire fleet of 2,000 cabs will be back on roads.”

Meru Cab had suffered losses of Rs60 lakh and 65 of its fleet vehicles have been damaged during these agitations.

KK Tiwari, secretary of Auto-taxi wing of Swabhiman Sanghatna, said, “We are happy that the administration accepted our demands without any conditions.”

When contacted, Rane said, “We have been able to do justice to Meru Cab drivers. We will support them in future as well.”