Concerns are mounting in Karnataka as six state-owned Road Transport Corporations (RTCs) prepare for an indefinite strike, set to begin at midnight on Monday. The strike is a response to the government's failure to address long-standing demands from transport employees. These demands include the release of 38 months' pending salaries, a long-overdue salary revision, and the clearance of arrears. The situation has reached a critical point, with union leaders expressing frustration over the lack of progress in negotiations.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is taking steps to address the crisis by scheduling two high-level meetings at Vidhana Soudha on Monday. The first meeting will involve representatives from the Labour Organizations Joint Action Committee of Karnataka State Road Transport Corporations. This will be followed by discussions with the Federation of Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation Organisations and other stakeholders. These meetings are crucial as they aim to find a resolution to the ongoing issues and potentially prevent the strike.
The RTC union leaders have already announced the strike and have begun distributing handbills at Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) and Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) bus stops in Bengaluru. These handbills appeal to commuters for their support, emphasizing the urgency of the situation and the need for immediate government action. The demands of the RTC staff are clear and pressing, with a focus on the immediate release of pending salaries and a halt to the privatisation of the transport sector.
The Congress-led state government's 'Shakti' scheme, which provides free travel for women, has added another layer of complexity to the situation. The budget allocation for this scheme has been increased from Rs 5,015 crore in 2024–25 to Rs 5,300 crore this year. However, the scheme has faced criticism from the BJP and JD(S), who allege that the state government is compromising the financial health of RTCs for electoral gains. In response, the Siddaramaiah government has refuted these allegations, asserting that the scheme has empowered millions of women and will not be withdrawn.
Joint Action Committee Chairman Ananth Subbarao has been particularly vocal about the situation. On Sunday, he clarified that the transport workers are not going on strike on August 4 due to the visit of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to Karnataka. Instead, all 1.15 lakh staff members will stay at home, halting bus operations. Subbarao has demanded the immediate release of the pending arrears of 38 months, stating, "We are successfully managing the 'Shakti' scheme. But the Siddaramaiah government has betrayed the trust of transport employees."
Subbarao has also criticized the government's response, saying, "The Chief Minister has called a meeting at the last moment. Threatening to impose the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) and stop salaries is not acceptable. If the CM repeats the same old promises in the meeting, we won't listen." This statement underscores the frustration and distrust among the transport employees towards the government's handling of the situation.
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