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If salaries are not paid on time, HRTC employees will stop work: Union warns management after gate meeting in Shimla
The Himachal Pradesh Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) Employees Union staged gate meetings and protests in Shimla, demanding the immediate payment of delayed salaries and wages, and warning of a possible work boycott if monthly payments are not made on time. Union State President Mansingh Thakur claimed that despite repeated assurances from the management, salary disbursement had not been completed in most HRTC units. He said employees in around 28 depots across Himachal Pradesh were still awaiting their wages, with only a few depots having received payments.
Thakur highlighted that drivers, conductors, and mechanics posted in remote regions were under severe financial stress due to the delay. He added that employees had earlier requested salary release by Tuesday evening, as many were struggling to manage basic daily needs while on duty. Issuing a fresh warning, he said the union has demanded that salaries be credited by the 1st or 2nd of every month. He cautioned that if payments are not made on time, employees—including drivers, conductors, and mechanics—would stop work after the 2nd of each month until dues are cleared.
He also urged workers to stay united and not be misled by what he called divisive leadership. According to him, nearly 12,000 employees and 7,000 to 8,000 pensioners depend on HRTC, impacting about 20,000 families across the state. Thakur noted that while the state faces financial constraints, other government departments are receiving timely salaries, whereas HRTC staff continue to face delays. He added that since its formation in 1974, the corporation has depended heavily on government support and struggles with revenue shortfalls due to subsidised and free travel schemes.
He further said employees are unfairly held responsible for the corporation’s financial difficulties despite working under tough conditions, stressing that timely payment of salaries is their rightful entitlement. The union warned that if the situation is not resolved soon, protests and work stoppages may intensify further in the coming months.
