Flash strike by GSRTC

AHMEDABAD, Sept 28: Gujarat State Road Transport Corporation GSRTC trade unions went on flash strike on Monday afternoon but called it ...

AHMEDABAD, Sept 28: Gujarat State Road Transport Corporation GSRTC trade unions went on flash strike on Monday afternoon but called it off within hours, though not without causing hardship to passengers.

While the strike was total in Ahmedabad, news of it hadn8217;t travelled to all places in the state, so in some places buses plied normally. In Rajkot, GSRTC drivers blocked roads by parking several vehicles right in the middle and leaving. Many depots near Rajkot reported that work had been badly affected, though in the Junagadh and Jamnagar divisions the bus service was not affected at all.

In Vadodara, autorickshaw drivers took advantage of the strike and offered shared trips to nearby towns and villages 8212; but at hiked prices.

Some 21 trips of the inter-city buses between Ahmedabad and Vadodara were affected and trains travelling to Ahmedabad were crowded much beyond their capacity.

The few passengers that Express Newsline spoke to criticised the GSRTC employees8217; flash strike. One such passenger, Hitendra Shah, who was scheduled to travel by the 6.10 p.m. inter-city bus said, 8220;Due to the strike I had to cancel my trip. I8217;ve also missed the train8221;.

The unions, whose main demand was payment of arrears, called off the strike after a written assurance from the state government that dues would be paid shortly. Gujarat Rajya ST Karmchari Mahamandal general-secretary Dahyabhai Pilwaikar said staff would get nine months8217; dearness allowance with effect from July 1, 1997 and nine months8217; house rent allowance, with effect from August 1, 1997.

He also said the DA has been increased by six per cent and that the government had agreed to pay city allowance arrears, bonus and festival advance before Diwali.

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GSRTC managing director Varesh Sinha said these demands of the unions were long overdue, but because of financial problems, the government had been unable to pay them. All the dues will now be paid before October 20.

Pilwaikar said trade unions leaders met Sinha at 11:30 a.m. and talks went on till 2:30 p.m. At 3 p.m. they were informed that since it was a financial matter it could be decided only by officials in Gandhinagar, and that would be by Tuesday.

8220;It was on this we struck work, about 4 p.m.,8221; Pilwaikar said. 8220;But a 6:30 p.m. meeting with him led to an agreement, and the strike was withdrawn8221;.

Pilwaikar also claimed the government had withdrawn the termination order served on GRSTKM8217;s Rajkot unit general secretary A.S. Jhala, besides withdrawing transfers of some other union office-bearers. Also, the union had been assured that some 65 employees who had reported late for duty on September 22 as a mark of protest would not lose pay.