Most of the services, barring a couple of essential services, like transport, crematoriums and critical care hospitals, are likely to be hit with the state government employees deciding to go on indefinite strike from Wednesday (March 1) seeking fulfilment of their various demands.
Speaking to DH, Karnataka State Government Employees' Association president C S Shadakshari said that all services, revenue, agriculture, horticulture offices and revenue collection, schools and pre-university examinations, will be hit and 80,000 employees, working in various energy supply companies, are extending the support to the strike.
"A large-scale protest is being staged for the first time in the state after 25 years. We had gone for such a massive protest in 1997-98 demanding pay revision,” he said.
He said there is no mention of any proposal to hike the salaries and allowances of the government employees in the Budget presented by Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai.
According to a statement issued by the association, the government employees have contributed immensely to the state’s growth and development and they also worked relentlessly in its fight to end the Covid pandemic. “During the Covid period, several government employees lost their lives. The government employees sacrificed by forgoing a whopping Rs 4000 crore which is 18 months’ DA to enable the government to fight the pandemic in a big way,” the statement read.
The government employees have put forth three major demands - the implementation of the 7th Pay Commission report, reverting to the Old Pension Scheme and implementation of at least 40% of fitment facilities.
Karnataka City Corporation Employees' Association president A Amruthraj told DH that nearly 10,000 employees, working in 10 city corporations, are extending support to the strike.
However, Karnataka Road Transport Employees' Association president R Chandrashekhar said that the bus services will not be affected though the association has extended its support to the cause.