<p>Stressing there is no question of withdrawing the strike, the Akhila Karnataka Rajya Raste Sarige Nowkarara Mahamandali has decided to go on indefinite strike from August 5 as the state government has not yet responded to their demands and also to their strike notice.</p><p>Speaking to reporters in Hubballi on Wednesday after a state-level meeting over the strike, Mahamandali president K S Sharma criticised the Siddaramaiah government for neglecting the employees of road transport corporations and said the state government invoked Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) as a weapon to threaten the employees. But it is not possible to stop them from going on strike, he said. The employees have been demanding the clearance of 38-month salary arrears, the implementation of a new wage revision effective from January 1, 2024, and the withdrawal of legal cases filed against them. But there is no response from the government in fulfilling the demands. Therefore, the Joint Action Committee, backed by six other unions, has decided to go on strike from August 5, he added.</p><p>“There is a limit for patience and no one waits for 38 months to get their salary arrears. Even after serving a strike notice, the government has not called a meeting. We all know that public transport is an essential service, but the government has been neglecting the employees of essential services,” Sharma, a known trade unionist, expressed his displeasure over the Congress government.</p><p>There are more than one lakh employees in the Road Transport Corporations (RTCs), and the Shakti Scheme has been running successfully due to dedication and hard work of employees. After implementation of the scheme, the number of passengers increased, and the employees are working under pressure. “It is the government’s responsibility to pay our dues, and the government should address other demands of the employees too,” he said.</p><p>Calling the ESMA invocation as an anti-labour policy, Sharma said when all associations jointly give a call for strike, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah should take the employees into consideration and fulfill their demands. </p><p>It is ironic that the CM has not called for a negotiation meeting. Is it the way of running a government?, Is it peoples’ government or no?, he questioned. “We are not slaves, we are employees and render our services to the government and public. Running a government through ESMA will not be possible,” he said.</p>
<p>Stressing there is no question of withdrawing the strike, the Akhila Karnataka Rajya Raste Sarige Nowkarara Mahamandali has decided to go on indefinite strike from August 5 as the state government has not yet responded to their demands and also to their strike notice.</p><p>Speaking to reporters in Hubballi on Wednesday after a state-level meeting over the strike, Mahamandali president K S Sharma criticised the Siddaramaiah government for neglecting the employees of road transport corporations and said the state government invoked Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) as a weapon to threaten the employees. But it is not possible to stop them from going on strike, he said. The employees have been demanding the clearance of 38-month salary arrears, the implementation of a new wage revision effective from January 1, 2024, and the withdrawal of legal cases filed against them. But there is no response from the government in fulfilling the demands. Therefore, the Joint Action Committee, backed by six other unions, has decided to go on strike from August 5, he added.</p><p>“There is a limit for patience and no one waits for 38 months to get their salary arrears. Even after serving a strike notice, the government has not called a meeting. We all know that public transport is an essential service, but the government has been neglecting the employees of essential services,” Sharma, a known trade unionist, expressed his displeasure over the Congress government.</p><p>There are more than one lakh employees in the Road Transport Corporations (RTCs), and the Shakti Scheme has been running successfully due to dedication and hard work of employees. After implementation of the scheme, the number of passengers increased, and the employees are working under pressure. “It is the government’s responsibility to pay our dues, and the government should address other demands of the employees too,” he said.</p><p>Calling the ESMA invocation as an anti-labour policy, Sharma said when all associations jointly give a call for strike, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah should take the employees into consideration and fulfill their demands. </p><p>It is ironic that the CM has not called for a negotiation meeting. Is it the way of running a government?, Is it peoples’ government or no?, he questioned. “We are not slaves, we are employees and render our services to the government and public. Running a government through ESMA will not be possible,” he said.</p>
