MSRTC Strike Enters 15th Day; Employees Refuse To Budge Despite Uddhav Thackeray’s Appeal

TPI Staff November 11, 2021

69 2 minutes read

MSRTC Strike Enters 15th Day; Employees Refuse To Budge Despite Uddhav Thackeray's Appeal

Mumbai: Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) employees continued their strike for the 15th day on Thursday despite an appeal by Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray.

As MSRTC employees are calling for the merger of the cash-strapped corporation with the state government, the Maharashtra CM has urged them to extend cooperation to break the impasse.

According to an official, all the 250 bus depots of MSRTC remained closed for the second consecutive day. The MSRTC strike has caused inconvenience to lakhs of commuters across the state.

Unfazed by the suspension of over 900 employees, many MSRTC employees are still adamant about the agitation till their demand for the merger is met.

No meeting has been scheduled with government officials on Thursday to resolve the matter, news agency PTI quoted MSRTC officials and union sources as saying. However, some employees of MSRTC will hold a meeting with Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray later today.

“The situation is unchanged today. All 250 depots are shut across the state,” said an MSRTC official.

So far the state-run corporation has suspended 918 employees from various depots for instigating others and participating in the strike. Action may be taken against more employees later today.

MSRTC employees began an indefinite strike from October 28 and cautiously intensified their agitation after the Diwali festival ended last week.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Thackeray yesterday urged MSRTC employees to end their protest.

Also, MSRTC Chairman, Maharashtra Transport Minister Anil Parab held a meeting with a delegation of Maharashtra ST Employees Joint Action Committee on Wednesday and urged the employees to withdraw their agitation.

Last afternoon, hundreds of MSRTC employees from across Maharashtra gathered in Mumbai and took out a rally at Azad Maidan to raise their demand.

According to Parab, there are 56 state-run corporations in Maharashtra, and if the merger demand of MSRTC unions is accepted, other corporations will also raise the same issue.

“While merging a corporation, comprehensive thinking is needed. Explain this to the workers and ask them to get back to work,” Parab explained to unions.

On Wednesday, the MSRTC lodged a contempt petition in the Bombay High Court, saying the unions have not called off the strike despite the court declaring it illegal. The court has asked the unions to respond by Friday and set November 15 as the next date for the hearing.