Bengaluru: The employees’ union of the state-owned transport corporations have decided to go an indefinite strike from August 5 as talks with the Karnataka government failed on Monday.
The Karnataka High Court and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah appealed to the unions to withdraw their protest.
The employees’ unions were adamant that their 38 months arrears are paid and a salary hike from January 1, 2024 should be implemented.
A final round meeting took place between CM Siddaramaiah, Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy and the representatives of the employees’ union on Monday, but nothing conclusive came out.
“Our discussions happened on arrears of 38 months of salary and salary hike from January 1, 2024. Finally, the chief minister said that he would clear two years of arrears and asked us to give up the claim on the remaining two years’ arrears. We have not agreed for it. We need 38 months’ arrears,” KSRTC Staff and Workers’ Federation president H V Anantha Subbarao told reporters.
There was no commitment on salary hike from January 1, 2024. “We are not happy. So our strike will start from tomorrow morning,” Subbarao said.
The union leader said the KSRTC and BMTC staff will not work until the demands are met.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah appealed to the unions to withdraw their protest.
Several rounds of meetings have already been held with representatives of different transport unions. Issues can be resolved through mutual dialogue. The CM appealed to the unions to withdraw the protest scheduled for tomorrow, a statement issued by Siddaramaiah’s office said.
Siddaramaiah said in 2016 when he was in office, a salary revision was implemented with a 12.5 per cent hike.
He blamed the previous BJP government which did not revise the salaries in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
“When we assumed power (in 2013), the total debt across all transport corporations was Rs 4,000 crore. In 2018 (when we left office), the pending amount was only Rs 14 crore. Currently, none of the transport corporations are in profit. The government will not be unjust to anyone. All corporations must cooperate,” the CM said.
Meanwhile, the Karnataka High Court on Monday asked State-run transport unions to postpone their planned strike by a day to allow time for ongoing discussions between union representatives and CM Siddaramaiah to conclude.
During the hearing, the Division Bench questioned the government on the prolonged delay in wage revision for drivers and conductors, expressing concern over their interests being neglected.
Government counsel and representatives of the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) informed the court that a Joint Action Committee (JAC) — representing employees from all four State-run transport corporations — had announced the strike even as conciliation proceedings over the dispute were still in progress under existing legal frameworks.
Karnataka HC grants interim stay against strike
Meanwhile, the Karnataka High Court on Monday issued an interim stay against the KSRTC strike and directed them to defer the agitation till the next hearing of the case, i.e August 5.
The court pointed out that talks between the union representatives and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah were on.
“If the entire public transport operation is stalled, the public are likely to be put to hardship. Therefore, it would be appropriate to grant interim stay till tomorrow (Aug 5) awaiting the outcome of negotiations with the government referred to above. Hence respondent No.7 is hereby directed to put on hold the proposed strike till next hearing date,” the court said.
It posted to Tuesday, next hearing of the case.
During the hearing, the bench questioned the government on the prolonged delay in wage revision for drivers and conductors, expressing concern over their interests being neglected.
The JAC demands include a salary revision effective from January 1, 2024, along with the release of pending arrears for 38 months — from January 1, 2020, to February 28, 2023. The committee has further insisted that the revised pay structure remain in effect until December 31, 2027.
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