What a relief: Auto strike is withdrawn

As expected, Sharad Rao has withdrawn the three-day strike call from Wednesday by autos of his union. Rao said his Autorickshawmen’s Union (MAU) consisting of 60,000 autorickshaws was withdrawing the strike call in keeping with the Bombay High Court directive.

Observing that the impact of a fare hike is a matter of serious concern for commuters, the Bombay High Court on Tuesday directed MAU to restrain its members from going on a 72-hour strike from Wednesday.

This is the second time that Rao has changed his mind a day before the strike. In June too, he had done the same thing.

At that time, three unions led by Rao, that is, Municipal Mazdoor Union (which represents civic workers), Brihanmumbai Electricity Supply and Transport (BEST) workers’ union and Mumbai Autorickshawmen’s union (MAU) had threatened a three-day strike from June 18.

Rao was demanding a Rs 15 to 17 increase in minimum fare according to the Hakim committee by the month of April. The Hakim committee report was challenged by the Mumbai Grahak Panchayat and the hike has not been implemented as the matter is still sub-judice.

Rao who had faced flak from other unions like Nitesh Rane of Swabhiman Sanghatna, Ashish Shelar from BJP and Thampy Kurian, all of whom had met Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan on August 19, opposing the strike.

Rao accused the other unions saying that they were using the media to ‘propagate a negative image’ about his union.

Accusing other unions of breaking autorickshaws during previous strikes Rao said, “We have never gone to the streets and broken down the autorickshaws and we do not take them seriously but at some point we have to defend ourselves as well.” Rao also said that he has received word that nearly 75 per cent of his demands have been accepted, although he did not mention who and from where this confirmation has come. Rao defended his decision to step down from the strike, as he believes the recent attention from the high court will work in their advantage. Rao said, “Earlier the High Court was dealing only with the PIL filed by the Grahak Panchayat but now since they have asked to call off the strike they have begun to understand the nuances of our issues.”

The other unions who had opposed the strike had submitted a charter to the Chief Minister at Sahyadri House and asked for police protection for the auto drivers who would have plied when the strike was on.