A coalition of six transport organizations, including the joint action committee of labor unions from the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporations, is gearing up for a strike to demand various concessions. Transport leader Ananth Subbarao has urged employees from KSRTC and BMTC to prepare for action, emphasizing that the state government has until the 26th of this month to meet their demands. If the government fails to respond, a meeting will be held on the 27th to announce the strike date.
The workers’ key demands include:
- Payment of ₹4,562 crore in arrears owed to transport corporations, along with an additional ₹1,346 crore related to the Shakti Yojana.
- ₹998 crore for outstanding payments to suppliers and fuel.
- Timely monthly payments for expenses related to the Shakti Yojana.
- Formation of an Expert Committee to determine fare adjustments, based on Special Committee recommendations.
- Payment revisions effective January 1, 2024, along with the settlement of arrears for 38 months since January 1, 2020, and immediate payments to retired employees as per a June 2024 order.
- Fulfillment of all other demands presented by the Joint Action Committee.
With 23,978 buses and 104,450 employees across the four corporations, the impact of a strike could be significant. Transport workers previously went on strike for five days in December 2020 and 17 days in April 2021, criticizing the actions of the previous BJP government.
Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy has expressed his commitment to resolving the issues alongside transport leaders. The government’s response before the deadline on the 26th will be closely watched as workers prepare for potential strike action.
