Karnataka CM offers pay hike for RTC staff from April, but unions stand firm on demands

Bengaluru: Bus transport employees’ unions have postponed their November 28 protest rally after a meeting with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday. 

The Joint Action Committee of the Trade Unions of Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation has been seeking the fulfilment of two long-pending demands: payment of Rs 1,785 crore in arrears for 38 months (January 1, 2020, to February 28, 2023) and a 25% pay hike from January 1, 2024. 

While the chief minister’s office did not issue a statement on what transpired at the meeting, the committee said Siddaramaiah offered the pay hike from April 1, 2026, a climbdown from his earlier timeline of April 1, 2027. 

He also reiterated his offer to clear Rs 718 crore in arrears for 14 months (from January 1, 2022, to February 28, 2023). 

The committee, however, held firm on both demands. 

KSRTC Staff and Workers’ Federation president HV Ananth Subbarao urged the government to withdraw proposals that he said would hurt employees who had worked hard to make the free bus travel scheme a success. 

The federation is one of six organisations in the joint committee. 

Federation general secretary Vijaya Bhaskar DA reiterated that the government was duty-bound to meet both demands in full. 

‘Ends on a positive note’

Speaking to DH, Bhaskar said the meeting ended on a positive note since the chief minister had “climbed down” from his earlier position. 

It was also decided that further deliberations will be held at a meeting chaired by Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy on December 6, he added. 

“We’ve decided to call off our November 28 protest rally,” Bhaskar stated. 

The committee had earlier called a strike on August 5 after a similar meeting failed. The strike, which disrupted bus services across Karnataka, was called off following a high court directive. 

The chief minister held a separate meeting with the R Chandrashekar-led KSRTC Employees’ League, which wants RTC employees to be paid on a par with state government staff as per the pay commission.