RTC employees will resume indefinite strike if Karnataka govt doesn't meet demands by April 6, says federation

The government’s claim of fulfilling eight of the nine demands is just on paper and has not been implemented on the ground, said the federation

Members of the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation Employees' Federation have set April 6 as the deadline for the Karnataka government to fulfill its nine demands by April 6, failing which they will resume their indefinite strike from April 7.

Addressing mediapersons here on Friday, the federation’s Dharwad Division Honorary President P H Neeralakeri said that the government’s claim of fulfilling eight of the nine demands is just on paper and has not been implemented on the ground. The state government has also not met one of its major demands — to pay their employees wages on par with the sixth pay commission, he said.

“As per the rules, we have issued a notice to the managing directors of four road transport corporations on March 13, 2021, regarding our decision to go for a strike if our demands are not met. So far, there has been no response from the government,” he said. adding that they have complete faith in Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa and Transport Minister Lakshman Savadi when it comes to resolving the issue by April 6.

“We will wait till April 6 for the government to fulfil our demands. If they fail to do so, then the government will be held responsible for any inconvenience caused to the public due to no operation of bus services across the state from April 7,” he said.

Federation to ask private vehicles to join the protest

Neeralakeri said they will urge private vehicles (maxi-cabs, buses, and other passenger vehicles) not to operate their vehicles during the protest days.

“We are hopeful that state government would not take any hasty decision of privatisation of routes and put the lives of more than 1.36 lakh employees in quandary,” he said, adding that it would cost the state government an additional burden of Rs 2,121.72 crore to fulfill all their demands. The government can take an additional loan for this purpose and pass on the burden of repaying that on the four corporations.

He said that while the federation is willing to compromise on its demand of making the drivers and conductors government employees, they will not back off from the main demand of the 6th pay commission as the wage difference is more than 24%.

Neeralakeri said so far only seven of the 30 road transport corporation staff, who lost their lives due to Covid-19, have received a compensation of Rs 30 lakh each.