Transport utility staff threaten stir over 'low' hike

 Unhappy over the pay hike announced by the state government for the employees of four government-run Road Transport Corporations, the KSRTC Staff and Workers’ Federation (KSWF) is planning to launch an agitation.

The KSWF said the government has taken an unilateral decision to hike the salaries by eight%, without consulting the Federation. The KSWF had many requests to the government to take it into confidence before taking a decision.

In a memorandum submitted to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, the KSWF said the government has taken the salary hike decision despite employees staging a protest recently demanding wages on a par with that of the staff of Central government. The KSWF has convened its central executive committee meeting in Bengaluru on Saturday to chalk out the next course of action.

According to the Cabinet decision, around 1.15 lakh employees of the KSRTC, BMTC, NEKRTC and NWKRTC would get the pay hike with effect from the January 1, 2016.