<p>Here is some bad news for bus passengers. Over 22,000 bus services across the State, including BMTC buses, are likely to be hit, with the joint action committee (JAC) of the trade unions of the four State road transport corporations on Wednesday threatening an indefinite agitation from April 27.<br /><br /></p>.<p>K R Vijayakumar, a JAC representative, told Deccan Herald that since the management of KSRTC, BMTC, NWKRTC and NEKRTC had failed to meet various demands of the workers, it was inevitable for them to go on strike. He said the unions would stop the bus services from the evening of April 26 itself.<br /><br />The demands include freedom to workers to function as a trade union, a constitutional right. “Managements of these corporations have stopped negotiating with unions and this can’t work in a democracy,” said Vijayakumar.<br /><br />The four corporations associated with KSRTC have a work force of 1.10 lakh, including 32,000 trainees. The trainees are paid a mere Rs 2,600 a month and many of them are working for the same salary for the past many years.<br /><br />The other demands are wage revisions after negotiations with the unions, putting an end to forced transfers and suspension or dismissal from service on frivolous grounds, ending false police cases and ensuring a framework to address grievances of workers. <br /><br />When questioned about possible inconvenience to the public due to the agitation, JAC members said they were requesting the public to co-operate with them, as fulfilment of demands mean better services to passengers. One of the JAC members said they were open to talks with the government till the evening of April 26.<br /><br />Vijayakumar said money making had become the sole aim of the corporations and even the passengers were made to pay extra charges for the services. <br /><br />He said the extra charges, which were up to 30 per cent, were hidden.</p>
<p>Here is some bad news for bus passengers. Over 22,000 bus services across the State, including BMTC buses, are likely to be hit, with the joint action committee (JAC) of the trade unions of the four State road transport corporations on Wednesday threatening an indefinite agitation from April 27.<br /><br /></p>.<p>K R Vijayakumar, a JAC representative, told Deccan Herald that since the management of KSRTC, BMTC, NWKRTC and NEKRTC had failed to meet various demands of the workers, it was inevitable for them to go on strike. He said the unions would stop the bus services from the evening of April 26 itself.<br /><br />The demands include freedom to workers to function as a trade union, a constitutional right. “Managements of these corporations have stopped negotiating with unions and this can’t work in a democracy,” said Vijayakumar.<br /><br />The four corporations associated with KSRTC have a work force of 1.10 lakh, including 32,000 trainees. The trainees are paid a mere Rs 2,600 a month and many of them are working for the same salary for the past many years.<br /><br />The other demands are wage revisions after negotiations with the unions, putting an end to forced transfers and suspension or dismissal from service on frivolous grounds, ending false police cases and ensuring a framework to address grievances of workers. <br /><br />When questioned about possible inconvenience to the public due to the agitation, JAC members said they were requesting the public to co-operate with them, as fulfilment of demands mean better services to passengers. One of the JAC members said they were open to talks with the government till the evening of April 26.<br /><br />Vijayakumar said money making had become the sole aim of the corporations and even the passengers were made to pay extra charges for the services. <br /><br />He said the extra charges, which were up to 30 per cent, were hidden.</p>
