BENGALURU: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who met representatives of trade unions of the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC), assured them that all their demands would be discussed and appropriate action would be taken.
Representatives from the Joint Action Committee (JAC) led by the All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC)-affiliated KSRTC Staff and Workers’ Federation and the Karnataka State Road Transport Employees League were called for a meeting with the CM at his official residence, Cauvery, on Tuesday evening. The meeting with the CM comes after the members of the JAC had threatened to sit on a one-day dharna outside the CM’s official residence over their long-pending demands.
He said the Congress-led state government is always in favour of the working class. “The previous government (BJP) left the bus corporations with an outstanding bill of over Rs 4,000 crore. This created a big financial burden on us. Demands of the trade unions will be discussed and appropriate action will be taken.” He told the RTC unions that another meeting will be held to discuss their demands.
Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy said the bus corporations have been allowed to take a loan of Rs 350 crore and told the unions that 2,000 new buses will be purchased.