Chief Minister holds talks with Road Transport Unions

Bengaluru:  With the State Road Transport Unions declaring an indefinite strike from tomorrow (Aug. 5) across the State, seeking fulfilment of their demands, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is holding a meeting with Union leaders on finding a solution.

Siddaramaiah first held a meeting with the Joint Action Committee of KSRTC Worker Unions at Vidhana Soudha this noon, which was attended by Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy and top officials of Transport Department.

Following the meeting, the CM is scheduled to hold another meeting with the Federation of State Road Transport Trade Unions later this afternoon, in a bid to convince the Transport Unions on calling off the strike that is set to begin from 6 am tomorrow.

The demands of the Federation include wage revision as per the 2023 agreement, payment of pending wages and withdrawal of cases registered against the operating staff, among others.

Meanwhile, KSRTC Managing Director Akram Pasha said that as per the Karnataka Essential Services Maintenance Act, 2013, a law that prohibits strikes in essential services within the State to ensure public safety and order, the KSRTC Unions cannot call a strike. He maintained that disciplinary action will be taken against the staff and wages and allowances will be cut if they go ahead with the strike and disrupt public transport services.

In another development, the State Government is said to be planning to engage 11,000 private buses for public transport if the Unions launch the strike, despite the Government’s warning.

The Transport Department officials have already held their first round of talks with private bus owners in this regard, it is learnt.