Leaders of the Andhra Pradesh Public Transport Department Employees’ Association (APPTD EU) have reiterated their demand that the facilities and monetory benefits that applied to them in the past, before the merger of the AP State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) with the government, be revived.
The PTD (erstwhile APSRTC) Employees’ Union has been seeking restoration of several amenities that have been withdrawn after their merger, and in support of the demands, the leaders joined the 92-day-long protests spearheaded by leaders of the AP Amaravati Joint Action Committee (JAC) across the State.
On Friday, the Employees’ Union State president P. Damodara Rao and general secretary G.V. Narasaiah met Secretary of the Transport Department P.S. Pradyumna and Vice-Chairman and Managing Director of APSRTC Ch. Dwaraka Tirumala Rao and made a representation.
They said after the merger of the APSRTC and creation of the PTD, the employees were deprived of many allowances and payment of their arrears had been pending for long time.
They said the management had increased the educational qualification for promotion in various categories because of which 95% of the employees were deprived of promotions and Automatic Advancement Scheme (AAS) increments and demanded promotions based on the APSRTC recruitment regulations.
Referring to the medical facilities, they said since the employees faced problems in availing medical services through their Employee Health Scheme (EHS) card, the authorities should revive the old referral hospital facility.
They also urged the department officials to take immediate steps to revive the various allowances paid to them before the merger of the Corporation. They included overtime wages to drivers and conductors, daily allowance and travelling allowance as stipulated in G.O. No. 114 and payment of night halt and day-out allowance.
They also wanted the Old Pension Scheme to be restored for the employees who joined the service before 2004.
