BENGALURU: After the Karnataka High Court rap, the Joint Action Committee (JAC) of Trade Unions of KSRTC, led by AITUC-affiliated KSRTC Staff and Workers’ Federation, on Tuesday afternoon temporarily suspended the indefinite strike till August 7. The strike had been called demanding a salary hike for transport staff and settlement of their salary arrears for the last 38 months.
While the impact of the strike was limited in Bengaluru, passengers in other districts were severely affected. Nearly 50% of Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC), North Western Road Transport Corporation (NWKRTC) and Kalyana-Karnataka Road Transport Corporation (KKRTC) bus services were affected by the strike.
Respective district administrations and regional transport offices arranged private vehicles across the state. Security was beefed up at major bus stands. No untoward incidents were reported across the state, except stone throwing on KSRTC buses at Hubballi and Kolar. Two masked men on a motorbike followed a KSRTC bus, which was heading from Hubballi to Hosapete with nearly 25 passengers, and threw stones at it.
As Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) bus services were disrupted during the first half of the day, autos allegedly fleeced customers. People who couldn’t miss their hospital visits and check-ups said they had to pay through their nose for the ride. Some office-goers said they took the Metro, while Bengaluru saw increased traffic during peak hours as many took out their vehicles.
Those heading to the Kempegowda International Airport said the fares of taxis were higher than normal.
We’ve only suspended strike temporarily: JAC
While private buses were deployed to assist stranded passengers at the Kempegowda Bus Station (Majestic), by 10.30 am, there were hardly any passengers, rendering the effort largely ineffective. Frustrated by the low turnout, private bus drivers said, “This is a day of income gone down the drain for us.”
KSRTC Staff and Workers’ Federation president HV Anantha Subbarao announced around 4 pm that the strike is being suspended temporarily till August 7 and requested the employees to immediately report to duty, after which the services gradually returned to normal.
Subbarao requested the state government to invite them to talks and solve their grievances. “Chief Minister Siddaramaiah would have got an update about the strike. He would have now understood the problems faced by the employees. We urge the government to solve our demands through talks,” he added.
He urged the government not to take any action under the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) against the employees who didn’t report to duty on Tuesday. The JAC will wait for the HC direction on August 7 and then take a decision on the indefinite strike, he added.
Earlier, Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar appealed to the transport unions to call off the strike, considering the inconvenience caused to the people. Leader of Opposition R Ashoka slammed the government, saying, “Siddaramaiah should wake up from his slumber and address the issue. If he is not capable of addressing it, he should resign and go.”
Responding to Ashoka, the CM listed the measures taken by the state government and said he is committed to protect the interests of the working class. “The one-man committee formed by your government (referring to the previous BJP regime) recommended paying Rs 718 crore salary arrears, but your government didn’t pay it. Our government is committed to pay that.”