MSRTC issues notices to 2,296 daily wage workers as strike continues

The Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) has issued notices to 2,296 daily wage workers for participating in the ongoing strike which entered the 21st day on Wednesday though over 100 bus services were operated with the help of a section of employees who resumed duty, officials said.

The workers were asked to join duty within 24 hours or face termination, they said, adding 7,400 other employees reported for work during the day. Employees of the loss-making corporation are on an indefinite strike seeking merger of the MSRTC with the state government. A merger will give them status of government employees besides better salaries. The officials said all the 250 bus depots have been shut since November 9 due to the strike, which started on October 28, disrupting most of the services of the transport corporation, one of the largest such bodies in the country with 90,000-plus workforce. They said 2,296 of the 2,584 daily wage workers were served notices, in which they were asked to join duty within 24 hours or face termination of service. Earlier, the state-owned corporation had suspended over 2,000 MSRTC employees for participating in the strike and asking others to join the stir. Despite the strike, 7,400 employees, out of the total 92,266, reported for work on Wednesday, the officials said. This number was lower than Tuesday when 7,623 staffers had rejoined duty. Over the last few days, some employees have been returning to work amid the agitation though their number keeps changing daily. On Monday, 6,895 corporation employees had reported for duty. An MSRTC spokesperson said they operated over 100 services, mainly air- conditioned 'Shivshahi' and 'Shivneri' buses, from various depots in Mumbai.