Bhubaneswar: Employees of Odisha State Road Transport Corporation (OSRTC) began a three-day strike Tuesday to press for fulfilment of their four-point charter of demands, including regularisation of contractual employees.
The protesting employees of the state-owned transport corporation are holding demonstrations at various places throughout the state. The other demands of the body include equal wage for equal work and hike in salary as per 7th Pay Commission recommendations.
Around 600 OSRTC buses have stopped plying across the state Tuesday leaving many passengers stranded. According to sources, around 60 buses plying from Badambadi in Cuttack have suspended their services due to the protest. A large section of commuters who depend on government-run buses in Koraput and Malkangiri districts were seen stranded at various bus stands due to the protest.
“We demand same wage for same work and salary at par with 7th Pay Commission recommendations. We also demand regularisation of contractual employees. If the state government fails to fulfill our genuine demands, we will intensify the strike in the coming days”, a member of All Odisha State Road Transport Corporation Association said.
The government bus service in Jeypore came to a standstill in February this year, when the employees had demanded a similar five-point charter of demands.
OSRTC buses were off the roads during the Martyrs Week observed by Maoists in Malkangiri, Koraput and Rayagda districts in July this year.