TSRTC JAC pitches for secret ballot on need for trade unions

Hyderabad: Taking exception to the formation of workers' council in the TSRTC, the workers JAC on Saturday demanded that the government should take up secret ballot to know whether the employees want unions or not.

Addressing a press conference here, JAC convenor E Ashwathama Reddy, JAC leaders K Raji Reddy and VS Rao stated that the RTC workers were not happy in the Corporation.

The Corporation should have trade unions and it is not good for the government to influence the workers say elections are not needed for the next two years. "There should be trade unions in any organisation in a democratic country and elections should also be conducted.

The government should take up secret ballot in the Corporation to elicit the opinion of majority workers," said Ashwathama Reddy, questioning what was the basis for appointment of members in the workers council.

The JAC convenor criticised the management's decision to decrease the bus services in the name of rationalisation. "There are 7,000 buses under public transport in Bengaluru, Hyderabad has 3,500 buses but the government decreased 1,000 buses from the total fleet.

The decrease in buses may get income but the passengers will face inconvenience," said Ashwathama Reddy. He also demanded that the government should order probe into the irregularities allegedly committed by the officials in the Corporation.

JAC co-convenor K Raji Reddy said that Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao had assured friendly management but the officials were not implementing his orders. The women employees are given difficult duties and the workers are harassed by taking their signatures on different papers, he alleged.

He further said that concerned officials are asking workers to submit leave application seven days prior to taking the leave. Some workers are under pressure as they are not given duties, said Raji Reddy.

The JAC leaders demanded the government to release the strike period salaries in one go keeping in mind of the festivals like Christmas and Sankranti.