BENGALURU: Government offices across the state wore a desolate look on Thursday as employees went on a one-day mass leave, demanding higher wages.
Offices at Vidhana Soudha, Vikasa Soudha and Multi-Storeyed Building were also empty as the state government employees went ahead with the strike despite the government issuing a warning not to go ahead with it, on Wednesday evening.
Offices in Vidhana Soudha were completely shut and with the exception of a few senior officers, no one was to be found.
In some offices, office bearers of the local associations made sure that no one attended office
and sent the employees back on their way. However, no problems were reported in any of the offices.
Government offices across the state were also shut down and low-scale protests were held by the employees in various districts.
The state government, which is also trying to clamp down on a protest announced by police personnel on June 4, had largely ignored this announcement of the Employees’ Associations going on leave.
However, on Wednesday evening, they warned the employees not to go on mass leave or else they would face severe action.
That did not deter the 5.40 lakh employees, who have demanded pay parity with central government employees, from going on strike.
Karnataka Government Secretariat Employees Association President Mahadevaiah Matapathi said that if the government does not take note of their
demands even after the successful strike, then they will intensify their stir.
“There are 24 states which are paying salaries on par with the Central government employees. This includes states which are not as developed as ours. If the government does not heed to our demands even now, then we will go on strike for a longer duration,” he said.
Who worked
BBMP control room staff
BWSSB staff
Police
BMTC bus drivers and conductors
Hospital staff
Who didn’t work
BBMP staff
Vidhana Soudha
Vikasa Soudha and V V Towers
Department of Public Instruction
Bangalore University teaching staff
Schools Closed
Despite the Department of Public Instruction issuing a circular on the re-opening of government schools, many schools were closed as teachers did not come to work. At some departments like DPI, Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, hardly 20 per cent of the staffers were present. As staff at the Karnataka Secondary Education Examination Board did not turn up for work, examination related work was affected.