Karnataka transport strike: Union leaders demanded payment of 38 months’ arrears along with a salary hike starting from January 1, 2024. In response, the government offered to clear arrears for two years and urged employees to give up their claim to the remaining amount.
Commuting using state transport services in Karnataka will be a challenge on Tuesday with the employees’ union of the state-owned transport corporations going on an indefinite strike from today, August 5, after talks with the Congress government failed on Monday. A final round of discussions was held on Monday between Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy, and representatives of the employees’ union. However, the meeting ended without an outcome.
Union leaders insisted on the payment of 38 months’ arrears and the implementation of a salary hike effective from January 1, 2024. The government, on its part, proposed clearing two years of arrears while asking employees to forgo the remaining dues. This was rejected by the unions.
While the government transport corporations will be off work due to the strike, private transportation will be available across the state. To address the anticipated disruption, the Transport Department has approached private bus operators to help maintain public mobility during the strike. Authorities are working to ensure continued connectivity across the state and avoid a complete breakdown of transport services. App-based cabs such as Uber, Ola, Rapido and other taxi services will remain available in Bengaluru and others parts of the state, but bike taxis by these companies will continue to be barred because of an previous by the state government.
Similarly, general and app-based auto rickshaws will also be available in Bengaluru and other parts of Karnataka.
KSRTC Staff and Workers’ Federation president H V Anantha Subbarao stated their talks happened on arrears of 38 months of salary and salary hike from January 1, 2024. Finally, the chief minister said that he would clear two years of arrears and asked us to give up the claim on the remaining two years’ arrears. “We have not agreed for it. We need 38 months’ arrears,” he said.
He also noted that there was no firm commitment from the government regarding the proposed salary hike. “We are not happy. So our strike will start from tomorrow morning,” Subbarao said. He confirmed that staff from KSRTC and BMTC would not return to work until their demands are met.
Siddaramaiah and the Karnataka High Court both appealed to the unions to withdraw their protest. The CM emphasised the need for continued dialogue, stating, “Several rounds of meetings have already been held with representatives of different transport unions. Issues can be resolved through mutual dialogue.”
He also cited past efforts made during his earlier tenure: “In 2016, when I was in office, a salary revision was implemented with a 12.5 per cent hike,” he said, blaming the previous BJP government for failing to revise salaries in 2020 due to the pandemic.
Siddaramaiah added, “When we assumed power (in 2013), the total debt across all transport corporations was Rs 4,000 crore. In 2018 (when we left office), the pending amount was only Rs 14 crore. Currently, none of the transport corporations are in profit. The government will not be unjust to anyone. All corporations must cooperate.”
Court seeks delay, expresses concern The high court, while hearing the matter on Monday, had asked the unions to postpone their strike by a day to allow space for further talks with the government. The Division Bench raised concerns about the prolonged delay in wage revisions and the neglect of drivers’ and conductors’ interests.
During the hearing, government counsel and representatives of the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) informed the court that the strike was called by the Joint Action Committee (JAC), which represents employees from all four state-run transport corporations. They noted that conciliation proceedings under the legal framework were still ongoing when the strike was announced.