BMRCL check-mates staff union, goes to labour office for conciliation

In order to diffuse the ongoing crisis due to the impending March 22 strike, the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited has initiated conciliatory proceedings with the Regional Labour
Bengaluru Metro image used for representation
Bengaluru Metro image used for representation

BENGALURU: In order to diffuse the ongoing crisis due to the impending March 22 strike, the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited has initiated conciliatory proceedings with the Regional Labour Commissioner. No strike or lock-out can be carried out until a verdict is delivered in this connection. 
Simultaneously, the executive director of operations and maintenance of BMRCL has issued an appeal as well as a warning to employees not to resort to anything that was not in public interest as it could even attract imprisonment under the Metro Railway Act.  

Speaking to The New Indian Express, BMRCL MD  Mahendra Jain, said, “We have written to the Regional Labour Commissioner to take up conciliation under the Industrial Disputes Act. The hearing has been scheduled for March 15. Once the hearing begins, no strike can be carried out until the verdict is delivered.” Advocate Ashok Haranahalli confirmed the same to TNIE. “The strike cannot take place until the conciliatory proceedings are completed. It can take a few days or even months and it all depends on the Labour Commissioner.” He added, “If the proceedings fail, then the situation is totally different.” 

For the last three days since the strike call was made public, the Bangalore Metro Rail Employees Union had been focussing only on the invoking of the Essential Services Maintenance Act by BMRCL against employees and stressing it had been stayed by the High Court. Meanwhile,  A S Shankar, the Executive Director, has sent an appeal to   the employees on behalf of the management. “The management is willing to discuss any reasonable request or grievance,” the letter urged.  The letter stresses that all issues raised by employees were pending before the High Court. 

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