Metro strike: meeting between BMRCL and employees fails to reconcile differences

 A meeting between the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) management and its employees' union conducted by the regional labour commissioner on Friday failed to reconcile their differences.

Another meeting will be held on Monday to avoid the proposed strike called by the BMRCL employees.

In the Friday's meeting at the labour commissioner's office, the BMRCL was represented by the officials from human resources, finance and legal departments while union leaders from the association also took part.

The employees demanded that the BMRCL recognise their union and solve the wage issues and other grievances.

"There was no positive outcome in the meeting, hence we have decided to go ahead with the strike on March 22," said Suryanarayana Murthy, vice president of the employees' union. However, he expressed hope that the BMRCL will agree to their demands in the Monday meeting.

"The officers who make the decision are not coming to the meeting. Hence this meeting is not turning out to solve our grievances. We expect the senior officers to attend the Monday's meeting. If not, we will go ahead with the strike," he added.

A BMRCL senior official said: "We are hoping the Monday's meeting with the employees will be successful."

Security during strike

The BMRCL is planning to write to the city police seeking protection to Metro stations on March 22, the day of the strike.

Letters will be written to all local stations wherever the Metro stations are located.

The request may be made by the assistant security officer of the Metro stations to deploy police for protection, sources told DH.