Bengaluru: Karnataka is gearing up for major disruptions in public transport as employees of the state's road transport corporations, including KSRTC, begin an indefinite strike from Monday, August 5.
In anticipation of a larger inconvenience, the state government has issued an advisory urging IT companies, particularly those operating in Bengaluru, to allow employees to work from home during the protest period.
The advisory, dated August 2 and signed by Dr NV Prasad, Principal Secretary of the Transport Department, was addressed to the Department of Information Technology, asking it to pass the request on to all relevant companies.
The government hopes this move will help ease traffic congestion in the state capital and reduce the burden on alternative transport systems.
What's fueling the strike?
The protest has been called by the Joint Action Committee of Transport Unions, who say two of their longstanding demands have gone unmet: first, the payment of 38 months' pending salary arrears, totalling Rs 1,785 crore, and second, a 25% pay hike starting January 2024.
A partial offer of Rs 718 crore by the state government, which would cover only 14 months of arrears, was turned down by the unions. As per a report by Deccan Herald, the unions believe the proposed pay hike is fair and overdue, especially if extended through to 2027.
The strike is expected to impact state-run transport services across Karnataka, including in Bengaluru, where buses are a daily lifeline for lakhs of commuters.
State Cites Financial Strain
Despite a Karnataka High Court order directing transport staff not to proceed with the strike, the unions are moving forward with their plans, beginning 6:00 am on Monday.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah termed the full list of demands "unreasonable", highlighting the transport corporations' current debt load of Rs 4,000 crore. He also noted that a 15% salary hike had already been granted in March 2023.
The government has called for public cooperation, warning that services may be severely disrupted until a resolution is reached.
