HYDERABAD: Accusing TSRTC union leaders of landing corporation workers into trouble, the corporation management requested the High Court of Telangana to expeditiously issue appropriate orders on public interest litigations seeking declaration of the strike as illegal.
The management submitted to the HC that it has the authority to take firm action against employees and declare the strike illegal under the Industrial Disputes Act, as the situation seems spiralling out of control.
TSRTC in-charge managing director Sunil Sharma submitted an affidavit before the division bench comprising Chief Justice Raghavendra Singh Chauhan and Justice A. Abhishek Reddy, which is dealing with the PILs filed with regard to the strike. Indicating that the corporation is ready to take action against striking employees, Sharma said it could not be a silent spectator to consequences of the strike till it is declared ‘illegal’ by some authority. The incharge MD pointed out that an atmosphere of general indiscipline and insubordination has been created by union leaders against their employer.
“Even if the workers are willing to resume duty voluntarily, they (union leaders) have made it difficult for the management of TSRTC to take a decision for their continuance,” Sharma stated. He maintained that to enhance their own influence, a few union leaders have held the state and management of the corporation to ransom by manoeuvring employees into launching a strike demanding merger of TSRTC with the government.
The in-charge MD went on to say, “It appears that the union leaders have been actuated by an oblique motive of de-stabilising the government with the connivance of the opposition political parties and they were threatening, intimidating and trying to terrorise the authority, despite concerns over the welfare of workers and corporation.”
Explaining how the union leaders misled workers to go on strike, contravening the requirements of conditions precedent before going on strike, Sharma asserted that the strike was illegal under the rules of Industrial Disputes Act and participants would be liable for action. Further, he stated that the management was neither interested nor inclined to punish its own people, but would like to take remedial measures to streamline the entire system.
