Hyderabad: The proposed indefinite strike by Telangana RTC workers has been postponed, following last-minute negotiations with state Transport Minister Ponnam Prabhakar. The decision was made late on Tuesday after discussions with the RTC Joint Action Committee (JAC) yielded a breakthrough, averting major disruption to public transport from May 7.
For several weeks, the employees had been preparing for industrial action, accusing the state government of long-standing neglect of 21 key demands. These include matters related to job regularisation, pay scales, and employee welfare. The JAC had earlier issued an ultimatum, stating that if no concrete steps were taken by May 6, the workforce would launch a strike starting the next day.
Despite government appeals highlighting the corporation’s financial distress, unions were firm in their stance. With only hours remaining before the strike deadline, the state administration moved swiftly to initiate emergency talks. Minister Prabhakar met with union representatives in Hyderabad and held extended negotiations.
Following these discussions, the JAC announced its decision to defer the strike, stating that it had received assurances from the minister regarding serious consideration of their issues. RTC unions clarified that while the strike had been postponed, the demands remain on the table, and they expect timely resolution.
Public transport services are now set to operate as usual from May 7, providing relief to thousands of daily commuters across Telangana. However, union leaders have warned that failure to act on their demands could revive protest action in the near future.