Despite HC order, Karnataka transport staff call bus strike from August 5

Transport corporations rope in private bus operators, school vehicles as a plan B

Bengaluru: Despite an interim order by Karnataka High Court, transport corporation employees across the state have decided to go on a strike from 6 am on Tuesday (August 5), likely disrupting bus services across the state.

The Joint Action Committee of the Trade Unions of Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation pressed on with the strike after its marathon meeting with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah failed to resolve two contentious issues -- payment of 38 months' arrears amounting to Rs 1,785 crore and a 25 per cent pay hike from January 1, 2024.

Siddaramaiah offered Rs 718 crore as arrears for 14 months (from January 1, 2022, to February 28, 2023), citing a July 2022 report by retired IAS officer M R Sreenivasa Murthy.

KSRTC Managing Director Akram Pasha maintained that employees cannot go on the strike on Tuesday in view of the court order.

As a plan B, the RTCs have roped in private players to operate bus services "anywhere they want" after the Transport Department issued an order under Section 66(1) of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988.

Private buses can charge fares along the lines of KSRTC and BMTC, he said.

The Federation of Karnataka State Private Transport Associations has agreed to operate 4,000 buses, according to its president S Nataraj Sharma.

The four RTCs are also roping in school and industrial buses.

Pasha said RTC buses would also operate, with the strike having "only a 10-20 per cent impact".

"We've also invoked the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA). Employees cannot go on strike and we've cancelled their leave. Violations will result in disciplinary action," he told DH.

The KSRTC and the BMTC urged employees to honour the court order and refrain from participating in the strike.

Vijaya Bhaskar D A, general secretary of the KSRTC Staff And Workers’ Federation acknowledged receiving the court order but said a decision on deferring the strike must be taken collectively by all six unions that are part of the joint action committee.

"We received the court order late and could not decide. The strike is very much on,” he told DH.

At the meeting, the CM called the demand for 38 months' arrears "unreasonable", noting that the government had implemented the 15 per cent pay hike only from March 1, 2023, based on the Sreenivasa Murthy report.

"When we came to power (in 2023), the four RTCs had combined liabilities of Rs 4,000 crore. None of them is profitable. The government will not be unfair," he noted.

He promised to discuss the pay hike after the legislative session and urged the unions to withdraw the strike.

However, the committee representatives rejected the offer.

Committee convenor H V Anantha Subbarao slammed the government, saying it cannot go back on arrears payments. He added that the 25 per cent hike would remain in effect until 2027.

He said employees were "not afraid" of ESMA and were ready to go to jail.

Bhaskar criticised the CM for asking them to withdraw the strike and come to a dialogue. "Talks can continue during the strike, too," he remarked.

Pasha said the Sreenivasa Murthy report recommended against paying arrears for 24 months (2020 and 2021) due to Covid-19. He called the 25 per cent hike demand "too high".

"The last raise was 15 per cent, which is above average. If the same is given, it will result in a financial burden of over Rs 1,700 crore. The four RTCs already have Rs 4,000 crore in liabilities towards PF payments, diesel expenditure, etc," he said.