Uttarakhand Roadways Employees Begin Indefinite Strike Over Unpaid Salaries
Uttarakhand Transport Corporation staff, including bus drivers and conductors, launched an indefinite strike Friday over three months of unpaid wages and other demands.
Current Summary
Employees of the Uttarakhand Transport Corporation, including roadways bus drivers, conductors and other staff, began an indefinite strike across the state from Friday, October 30, boycotting work over longstanding demands. Ashok Chaudhary, general secretary of the Uttarakhand Roadways Karmachari Union, said the union has been demanding payment of three months of pending salaries — August, September and October. Other grievances include route permits for roadways buses being given to private operators, affecting corporation revenue; demands for equal pay for contractual employees doing equal work; and a demand that all salaries be paid by the 7th of every month. Chaudhary said the deteriorating condition of old buses also poses a passenger safety risk that needs to be addressed. He said a meeting with UTC officials on Thursday failed to resolve the issues, prompting the strike. Buses already on route when the strike began continued their journeys, and hill-area buses were exempted from the protest, but passengers elsewhere faced disruptions. The union said around 3,500 employees are involved and the strike will continue until action is taken on their demands.
What We Know
- Uttarakhand Transport Corporation employees began an indefinite strike statewide on October 30.
- The union says roughly 3,500 employees are involved.
- Core demand is payment of three months of pending salaries (August, September, October).
- Other demands include stopping route permits for private buses, equal pay for contractual staff, and salaries paid by the 7th of each month.
- Hill-area buses and buses already on route are exempt from the strike.
- A Thursday meeting between the union and UTC officials failed to resolve the dispute.
What Is Still Unclear
- How long the strike will last.
- Whether UTC management has responded with a timeline to clear pending salaries.
- Total extent of passenger disruption statewide.
Intercity bus passengers should check with UTC or local depots before travel, as non-hill routes face disruption; hill-area services are unaffected.
What Changed
- 30 Oct, 02:21 pmSignal detected: Uttarakhand Roadways Employees Begin Indefinite Strike Over Unpaid Salaries