BENGALURU: The first round of talks held by the management of the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited and employee representatives at Baiyappanahalli depot on Wednesday in connection with the proposed indefinite strike from March 22, ended in a stalemate. While the management agreed to sort out their grievances within three months, employees were particular that until three of the main demands were met by March 21, the strike plan will be carried out as planned.
Top officials of the operations and maintenance department including its executive director A S Shankar met two representatives from each of the five departments under its fold — traction, signalling, telecommunications, P-way and civil structure works. The employees were members of the Union, but not on its board.
“Recognition of the Bangalore Metro Rail Employees Union by the management, payment of perks and allowances on the lines of other Metro networks and implementation of the Third Pay Revision Committee were the three chief demands,” said a Metro employee. This was in response to BMRCL officials asking them to call off the proposed strike. “BMRCL wanted three months time to look into the grievances,” a source said.
It is also learnt that Metro officials also held talks with BEML and ROTEM officials — both involved in readying the coaches.
Employee split deepens
Reliable sources also told The New Indian Express that repeated threats by the management on usage of ESMA on striking employees has worried many of them now. “Almost 40 percent of the 900 who initially wanted to take part in the strike are now backing out, “ the source said. A Union representative denied this and said, “Most employees are backing the strike.”
BMRCL will also be holding its first round of talks with the backup Train Operators on Thursday morning.