More than 43,000 employees of the Gujarat State Road Transport Corporation on Thursday proceeded on a mass casual leave for two days to demand a pay hike as per the 7th pay commission. The employees had banded together to demand a pay hike among other grievances. The employees had called for an indefinite strike till their demands are met, and the government agreed to the demands. But the rounds of negotiation with the government officials did not result in a return agreement, so the union has decided to make a final decision if their demands are not met till February 28. The union had been demanding a pay hike since last three years since the 7th pay commission has been implemented. Chief Minister Vijay Rupani appealed to the people to call off the strike on Friday. More than 7,000 GSRTC buses were called off the roads. Private bus services were charging double the fare in the days of the GSRTC strike.

Author-Sweta Joshi