Hyderabad: The TRS is upbeat over the support extended by various employees unions to the party candidates for the upcoming graduate elections to the Legislative Council.
As the March 14 polling day nears, the unions are announcing their support to the TRS one after the other, contrary to reports that employees are angry with the government for delaying the Pay Revision Commission (PRC) report and the hike in retirement age.
TRS president and Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao’s 'strategy' in deputing ministers as election incharges to ‘negotiate’ with employees unions is yielding results in the form of support for the elections.
The incharge ministers who are holding separate meetings with employees unions every day could convince them that the TRS government will give the PRC and other benefits soon after the MLC polls.
The idea behind these meetings is to convey the message to employees unions that the TRS government will remain in power until December 2023, irrespective of the outcome of the MLC polls and it’s the TRS government that has to give PRC or any other benefit.
Employees unions also want to avoid a confrontation with the TRS government which still has more than two-and-a-half years of its term left.
Major employees unions such as Telangana Gazetted Officers Association (TGOs), Telangana Non Gazetted Officers Assocation (TNGOs) have expressed support to the TRS. The biggest teachers union, Telangana Progressive Recognised Teachers Union (PRTU), has also announced its support.
The Contributory Pension Scheme Employees Association comprising 1.3 lakh employees announced support to the ruling party candidates. On Tuesday, another major union, the Telangana Udyogula Sangham, extended support to the TRS.
The ministers pointed out to the unions that Chandrashekar Rao had given the highest ever 43 per cent fitment during PRC in 2015. Besides, the government had also paid a special increment and they would get similar benefits if employees ensure victory of the TRS in the MLC polls.
Ministers are trying to strike an emotional chord with employees unions, reminding them how teh TRS and employees unions had together achieved statehood with their joint struggle.
