Namma Metro employees defer strike again after HC intervention

Employees of the BMRCL had to defer their strike for the third time as the High Court of Karnataka on Monday gave a set of directions to resolve their issues through dialogue.

The Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) Employees' Union had called for an indefinite strike from Monday.

The court directed the state government to intervene in the matter after the bilateral and reconciliation meetings between the union and the BMRCL management failed to yield a positive result.

Justice A S Bopanna gave the interim directions while hearing a petition filed by the union, challenging the government’s action of bringing BMRCL services under the Karnataka Essential Services and Maintenance Act (ESSMA).

The court observed that the matter was of public interest and the government should intervene in case both the parties fail to reach a favourable conclusion, in the public interest.

The court asked the state government to hold a meeting with the BMRCL management and the union representatives and facilitate to resolve issues between both parties.

The court also urged the union to not precipitate the matter and also asked the management to not take any coercive action against the employees.

The union's counsel stated that their demands comprise salary hike, night-duty allowance, recognition to the union and abolition of contract labour system.

Anticipating the strike, the BMRCL management had roped in people from the Kochi metro, to avoid inconvenience to its commuters.

In the last hearing, the court had directed the union to intimate it before going on strike.

The court also asked the Chief Secretary to hold initial talks with the BMRCL and its employees’ union by June 8. Thereafter, the next level of discussion, to deliberate over the concerns, has to be completed by June 18 and the report of its outcome to be submitted in the next date of hearing.

The matter was adjourned to June 19.