news details |
|
|
| SRTC’s middle-path after 100 days | | Strike called off, govt agrees to pay off salaries | | MUNISH GUPTA
JAMMU, DEC 3: After 100 days of street battles, bare chest protests and empty stomach marches, the aggrieved employees of state owned Road Transport Corporation today agreed to meet the government midway as they called off their strike following an assurance to address most of their grievances. The concrete results from the government are though yet to pour in, practically. The visibly amicable decision was taken in a meeting of the employees’ representatives with Transport Minister Qamar Ali Akhoon.
Government agreed to release pending salaries, benefit of TA, DA and overtime, regular releasing of salaries, VRS benefit besides implementation of Road Transport Corporation 1950 Act fully. Government also agreed to run the J&K State Road Transport Corporation on the pattern of Himchal Pradesh Road Transport Corporation. Government however categorically refused implementation of the Sixth Pay Commission as would depend on the future income of the corporation.
Strike started in the last week of August and completed its 100 days today. Negotiations in a meeting of SRTC employees’ representatives with state government under the chairman ship of state chief secretary S S Kapur resulted into final agreement between both the parties All J&K SRTC Workers Union called off their strike and decided to resume work from today.
Government team headed by Chief Secretary S S Kapur and comprising of members including Secretary Transport, Asgar Samoon, Commissioner / Secretary Finance Sudhanshu Pandey, Commissioner/ Secretary, Planning B B Vyas and Managing Director of SRTC Anoop Kanav, held talks with the SRTC Union leaders led by Union Chairman Shakeel Ahmed Kuchey in the Civil Secretariat.
SRTC employees’ leaders said they received invitation from the Government and the talks with the Government representatives were held under cordial atmosphere resulted into final consensus.
“The Road Transport Corporation (RTC) Act 1950 was implemented in the state of Jammu and Kashmir in 1976 but it was partial, now the state government agreed to implement it in totality”, Kuchey said. He added that Govt assured that the employees’ demand for the regular payment of their salaries would be looked into.
Transport Minister Qamar Ali Akhoon said that the employees' demand for regular payment of their salaries would be looked into and implementation of the Sixth Pay Commission would depend on the future income of the corporation.
'I am hopeful that the employees would devote themselves whole heartedly in making the corporation profitable in future,' Akhoon added.
Abdul Rashid, an employee, said they were satisfied with the government decision, at least, “we will get our salary now every month, ' he said. Strike had brought the whole fleet of state-run buses and trucks to a halt for over three months.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
