VIJAYAWADA: In a blow to the Andhra Pradesh government, APSRTC employees were drawn into the indefinite strike of government employees from February 7 in support of the demand for more salary and benefits, over and above the 11th PRC.
State public transport department unions’ united forum decided to hold black badge protests on Saturday and Sunday at all RTC depots and join the indefinite strike by others from February 7.
APPTD unions united forum conveners Srinivasa Rao and Damodar Rao said the RTC employees will wear black badges from Saturday and hold demonstrations during tea and lunch breaks. The RTC employees did not benefit from turning APSRTC into a government entity as various issues remained unresolved, they said. Now RTC being a government department, it is natural that the RTC employees too joined the agitation by the other government employees, they reasoned.
The two leaders said RTC employees will submit a memorandum to the authorities during the two days of protests.
APSRTC top brass appealed to the employees to avoid the strike. Since this was rejected, the management would make alternative arrangements for the running of bus services, so as to avoid inconvenience to the public.
