Karnataka HC issues interim stay against transport strike, workers to proceed with agitation

Bengaluru, Aug 4 (PTI) 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, even as the Karnataka High Court issued an interim stay against their agitation.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who held talks with the union representatives, appealed to them to withdraw their protest. The demands of the unions include wage revision.

While giving the interim stay, 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.

However, an AITUC leader said the strike will proceed as planned, but the unions will urge the HC tomorrow to hear them as well.

The employees' unions are firm that their 38 months of arrears be paid and a salary hike from January 1, 2024 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 and wage revision 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. 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.

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 Congress 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.

During the court hearing, the 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. PTI COR GMS SA