BENGALURU: The Karnataka High Court on Tuesday restrained the Joint Action Committee of Trade Unions of Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation employees and its constituents from going on strike from May 20.
A vacation division bench comprising Justice Suraj Govindaraj and Justice K Manmadha Rao passed the interim order after hearing a public interest litigation filed by commuters C Vedavathi and Sridhara H V, questioning the proposed strike pursuant to the notice dated May 29.
Issuing notice to the Chief Secretary, Principal Secretary of the Transport Department, the Joint Action Committee, BMTC and other state run transport corporations, who are respondents in the case, the court directed the government advocate to facilitate a meeting between the respondents and Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and the respective departmental secretaries for reconciliation of the demands.
The Joint Action Committee had called for the strike from May 20, demanding fulfilment of various employee demands after negotiations with the government failed to yield a resolution.
After hearing the parties, the court orally asked the unions not to go on strike as the reconciliation process is under way and noted that certain bona fide demands had already been met by the transport corporations by spending over Rs 400 crore. However, counsel for the employees submitted that key demands remain unfulfilled.
Meanwhile, counsel for the petitioners informed the court about the possible inconvenience to students and the general public if employees of the state run transport corporations proceed with the strike.