Roadways staff end strike after Maharashtra govt promises Rs 6,500 hike
Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has agreed to raise the basic salary of MSRTC staff by Rs 6,500 per month. The increase will be applied retrospectively from April 2020
 "Roadways staff end strike after Maharashtra govt promises Rs 6,500 hike")
Employees of the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) ended their strike on the evening of September 4, following assurances from the government of a salary increase, union representatives told PTI on Thursday.
Chief Minister Eknath Shinde agreed to raise the basic salary of MSRTC staff by Rs 6,500 per month. The increase will be applied retrospectively from April 2020, as stated in a release from the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO).
“We are ending our protest as the chief minister has guaranteed a salary hike for MSRTC employees,” Sandeep Shinde, a leader of the Maharashtra ST Kamgar Sanghtana, told PTI after the meeting with the chief minister.
Another union leader, Shirang Barge, confirmed that Shinde, who also serves as the chairman of MSRTC, had agreed to the Rs 6,500 raise for the workers.
State Industries Minister Uday Samant noted that the unions had initially demanded a Rs 7,000 increase in basic salary. He also mentioned that the government had agreed to other requests from the unions, such as ensuring clean toilet facilities for female employees and upgrading bus depots with concrete flooring.
Big relief for passengers
The MSRTC, which employs nearly 90,000 people, began their strike at midnight on September 2, pressing for several demands, including a pay raise and parity with state government staff. The conclusion of the strike has brought considerable relief to those planning to travel for the 10-day Ganesh festival, which starts on September 7. However, some passengers may experience delays on Thursday (September 5) as the resolution was reached late in the evening.
During the meeting, the chief minister also instructed officials to draft a plan for improving rest houses for MSRTC employees. He urged staff to contribute to increasing the revenue of the state-owned corporation, the release added.
Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, along with State Minister Uday Samant, trade union leaders, and officials from the state government and MSRTC, were present at the discussions.