TSRTC staff seethe over paltry pay

Hyderabad: The employees of the Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TSRTC) are angry over the management for resorting to huge cuts in their salaries.

Many employees allege that they have received salaries between Rs 4,000 and Rs 5,000 against Rs 25,000 to Rs 30,000. Some of the employees received a meagre salary below Rs 1,000.

"Due to the COVID-19 situation, as the TSRTC is operating only partial services, only a few workers are pressed into service while the rest have to just come to the depot to mark the daily attendance register," said K Raji Reddy, General Secretary TSRTC Employees Union.

However, the employees allege that they were not being paid by the management on the basis of their attendance, but not on the basis of their services. Those who received their payment alleged that they were marked 'on leave' despite their attendance.

On condition of anonymity, a bus driver from Jubilee Bus Depot said, "I went to the depot every day, but I was only paid for the days I went for a trip and was marked absent for other days. If I am being present on duty every day I should be paid accordingly instead of the days I have been on trip."

"The employees are already facing financial problems due to the 50 per cent pay cut for the last three months, now the undue pay cut is just adding more misery to their situation," adds K Raji Reddy.

BLOW AFTER BLOW

♦ Only 4,000 out of the 10,460 buses are being currently operated

♦ Less than 50% of 49,000 employees are being utilised

♦ If the issue is not resolved before July 24, the unions threaten to go on strike

♦ What they want: Full salary disbursal for June to all workers and COVID isolation ward for the employees at RTC hospital, Tarnaka