KSRTC Employees League to support protest by KSRTC Staff and Workers Federation if demand is for equal pay

Addressing a media conference in Mysuru on Wednesday, the Honorary President of the KSRYC Employees League said, 'The Congress had listed in its manifesto, that once it came to power, it would facilitate equal pay for KSRTC employees.'

Mysuru: Honorary president of Karnataka State Road Transport Employees League B S Suresh said on Wednesday that the league would extend support to the strike of KSRTC Staff and Workers Federation on December 31, if the federation demands for equal pay for KSRTC employees, on par with Karnataka State government employees.

Addressing a media conference in Mysuru on Wednesday, Suresh said, "The Congress had listed in its manifesto, that once it came to power, it would facilitate equal pay for KSRTC employees."

“We are only demanding its implementation, like the Congress implemented the five guarantee schemes,” he added.

Suresh alleged that the four or five employees unions, officially recognised by the KSRTC, are headed by outsiders, mostly affiliated to some political party. “They do not understand the problems of the workers properly. While the union leaders strive to fulfill their political agenda and aspirations, the employees suffer,” he added.

“Thus, we formed our own league in 2019-20. Our 20-day strike was almost successful and the then BJP government had agreed to increase our salaries, on par with that of government employees. But again, the leaders of recognised unions and KSRTC officials conspired to stall the process,” Suresh said.

He said, there are 126 boards and corporations under the Karnataka government and their staff get salaries like any other government employee. “In fact, the staffers of the Escoms (electricity supply companies of the government) get better salaries than government employees. Then, why only employees of Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) should be discriminated against?” he asked.

“The recognised unions of KSRTC employees used to stage protests periodically and act as mediators, to get meagre hikes in the salaries. Since 1996, the KSRTC has been giving a hike of 4 per cent to 8 per cent, once in four years. We demanded salary on par with government employees from January 1, 2020, and protested. The opposition party then, the Congress, supported us. The BJP government had taken a decision to implement the Sixth Pay Commission Recommendations. But, the officials of KSRTC defeated our movement, with the help of recognised unions, which had lost the confidence of the employees. As the management suspended, transferred, and dismissed thousands of employees and filed police complaints against many, the movement of the league could not sustain,” Suresh recalled.

C D Vishwanath, Thalashasana Mohan, Nagaraju, Parashuram and Ummathuru Rajesh were also present in the press meet.