Employees of the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), the governing body of the Venkateswara temple in Tirupati are reportedly demanding a union, so they can present their troubles to the management. 

Presently, there are about 10,000 permanent and 13,000 contract employees who perform various tasks.

Deccan Chronicle reported that there are employee associations, such as the CITU and the INTUC but no common union body.

The report adds:

The employees of TTD  have been facing discrimination regarding their being able to avail of government health schemes. They are not covered by the NTR health scheme, which covers state government employees. TTD employees have access to a  central hospital at the Administration building in Tirupati, which refers chronic cases to  the TTD-run Sri Venkateswara Institute of Medical Sciences.

Speaking to DC, M Nagarjuna, president of the TTD Staff and Workers United Front said "The management should...implement a health scheme for TTD employees on par with  state government employees, who enjoy cashless health card whereby  they can get good medicare in corporate hospitals across the state."