Association asks SC/ST employees to end strike

KSRTC SC/ST Employees' Association alleged that the government is using the strike to privatise RTCs

KSRTC SC/ST Employees' Association has called on employees of road transport corporations who are on strike, to return to work to save RTCs from privatisation and their jobs.

"BJP government wants to privatise RTCs, and therefore, it is not responding to the demand of agitating employees. To fight against that conspiracy, SC/ST employees should return to work, and another round of struggle for their demands can be launched later," said the association president F H Jakkappanavar.

Nearly 40 per cent of employees against whom actions like transfer and suspension are taken belong to SC/ST communities. Utilising the strike, the government is trying to privatise RTCs, he charged.

Our main demand is to consider RTC employees as government employees, but only the sixth pay commission issue is being highlighted now, he added.

'Withdraw strike'

Meanwhile, a few trade unionists and farmers' leaders also felt that continuing the strike may help the government privatise the RTCs.

"The strike was launched without proper discussion, that too during the Covid-19 situation. Employees of the RTCs should withdraw the strike to save RTCs from privatisation, and to end inconvenience being experienced by the public," said AITUC district unit president Devanand Jagapur.

Kodihalli Chandrashekhar, who is leading the strike, seems to be into an unholy pact with the government which is in favour of privatisation of RTCs, he alleged.