KSRTEA retains top position in referendum

INTUC-led Transport Democratic Federation (TDF) made an impressive show in the referendum for recognition of trade unions in the KSRTC even as CITU-affiliated KSRTEA retained its numero uno position.

TDF gained 37.9 per cent votes, bringing down the vote share of the KSRTEA (CITU) below 50 per cent. 

In the counting of ballots held at the Training Centre here on Friday, KSRTEA could mobilise only the support of 48.91 per cent of the 38,956 polled votes, down from the 56 per cent it had lifted in the last referendum.

The TDF bettered its position from just 20.5 per cent in the last referendum to 37.9 per cent. With only a vote share below 50 per cent, the veto power the CITU-led union, which it was enjoying till now in discussions with the KSRTC management, has come to an end.

Ballots from 94 depots of the KSRTC were brought here, after it was cast in the past two days by employees. The total number of votes was 40,006. 

In the referendum, AITUC, in spite of the backing of the IUML-affiliated STU, could only gather 9.78 per cent votes and thereby lost its recognition as a trade union in the corporation.

In the last referendum, AITUC had 15 per cent vote share. BMS Union also continued to lag behind in the counting of votes.

TDF is a combine of the INTUC, headed by Thampanoor Ravi ex-MLA, and the independent Drivers’ Union, of which K Sudhakaran MP is the president.  KSRTEA is led by LDF convenor Vaikom Viswan as president and K K Divakaran ex-MLA as general secretary.