ESMA Invoked but Transport Union Federation Calls for Strike From July 29
Unions demand wage revision, equal pay, and rollback of past strike cases despite the strike ban
Bengaluru: While the state government invoked the Essential Services Maintenance Act, 2013, prohibiting the proposed strike in the road transport corporations, Karnataka Rajya Sariga Nalku Nigamala Sanghathnegala Okkuta (Federation of four transport unions) have called for an indefinite hunger strike from July 29 in support of their demands.
Their demands include pay on par with state government employees, pending wage revision from January 2020, holding elections to employees’ unions and withdrawal of cases against transport employees over the strikes of 2020 and 2021. The four RTCs employ 1.15 lakh persons.
Meanwhile, Karnataka Rajya Raste Sarige Nigmagala Karmika Sangthanegala Janti Kriya Samiti has called for a strike from August 5 to get their demands conceded from the state government and also to oppose anti-labour policies.
The strike in Bengaluru city will be held at Freedom Park on January 29, while Transport employees in districts will stage a strike in front of the Deputy Commissioner’s office.
The government on Thursday invoked ESMA, prohibiting strikes in the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation, Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation, North Western Karnataka Road Transport Corporation and Kalyana Karnataka Road Transport Corporation with effect from July 1 to December 31 this year.
