The RTC strike has been called off and the employees are back in duties. But, KCR, it appears, is hell bent on finishing any semblance of resistance in the form of unions. He has already removed the relief duty provision in the RTC, which enabled the union leaders to draw salaries without reporting to work. He has also announced the formation of welfare councils with at least two members from each depot. It is these welfare councils that will now represent the RTC employees.

As if all these are not enough, the ruling party is also trying to split the joint action committee of the RTC unions. As the first step, the TSRTC supervisors’ association has announced that it was exiting from the JAC. It said that there was no need for the JAC as the welfare councils can directly interact with the chief minister and represent their case.  The RTC has over 1100 supervisors in 97 depots and the head office. They work under the TSRTC supervisors association. Till now, the association has been part of the Joint Action Committee led by Ashwatthama Reddy.

Interestingly, the blow came at a time when Reddy and his associations have been insisting that the JAC will continue to work and will represent the cause of the workers. It now appears almost certain that unionism is as good as dead in the RTC.