Karnataka Transport Employees: Employees of the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC), Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) and other state transport corporations are once again preparing to go on strike.
They have decided to stage a hunger protest from October 15 to 19, demanding fulfillment of their long-pending demands, including release of 38 months’ arrears and salary revision.
With this development, bus services across Karnataka are likely to be disrupted for five days, affecting lakhs of daily commuters. Earlier, on August 5, employees of all four transport corporations had gone on an indefinite strike, but withdrew it following a Karnataka High Court order.
However, the government has since failed to hold talks or address their issues, prompting workers to resume protest preparations. The Joint Action Committee of Transport Corporation Employees’ Unions has called for the hunger protest to be held simultaneously in Bengaluru, Hubballi, and Kalaburagi.
Committee president H.V. Ananth Subbarao accused the state government of adopting an anti-worker stance. “Despite letters sent on August 11 and September 15 urging talks, the government has ignored our demands,” he said.
The employees allege that the government has neither released arrears nor implemented the wage revision, leading to growing resentment among staff. If the situation continues, Karnataka could face major transport disruptions once again.
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