Transport services affected across Karnataka as employees go on strike

Bengaluru, Dec 11: In the wake of a strike called by the transport employees demanding they be considered government employees, state-run bus services across the state were affected on Friday.

Over 1.2 lakh workers are employed with KSRTC, BMTC, NEKRTC and NWKRTC. Sources said services of all bus corporations were affected after the majority of transport employees including drivers and conductors refused to report for the duty on Friday morning. The state run bus corporations are now compiling the details of the cancelled schedules due to the protests.

Farmers protesting the new farm laws also extended support to the transport staff. The employees’ major demands are they be brought under the government’s payroll, provided the same privileges/incentives as government employees and compensation of Rs 30 lakh be paid to transport workers who died during Covid duty.

On Thursday, they took out a massive rally from KSR Bengaluru City railway station to Freedom Park. Later, they marched towards Vidhana Soudha via Raj Bhavan Road. Hundreds of them were detained when they made an attempt to lay siege to the Soudha. The protest was held under the banner of the State Road Transport Employees Joint Associations Federation and is expected to conduct a rally near City railway station on Friday.

Thursday’s protest came following complaints of transport corporations delaying and reducing their salaries citing the pandemic-induced dip in passenger revenue. There are several complaints of retired employees not getting gratuity on time and corporations not paying premium to LIC and Employee Provident Fund Organisation.

Last month, children of many employees had in video messages on social media appealed to chief minister BS Yediyurappa to pay their salaries so that they could celebrate Diwali. Following this, employees received their October salary by November-end. All India Trade Union Congress is not supporting the demand to make transport staff government employees.

Sources say BJP is looking into the demand since bringing transport corporation employees under its payroll is likely to help its vote bank grow. However, it’s worried about similar demands from ASHA workers, guest lecturers and others.