K’taka: RTC employees strike enters fifth day, bus services continue to be hit

Bengaluru: Bus services remained largely hit across Karnataka on Sunday too, as strike by employees of the road transport corporations on wage related issues, entered its fifth day.

With a stalemate between the government and employees of the four transport corporations in the state, over their demand for wages as per the 6th Pay Commission continuing, majority workers did not turn up for work, resulting in buses remaining off road, affecting commuters.

Amid threats of tough action, ”no work no pay”, few RTC employees have returned to work and are operating buses on some routes in the city, along with police escort, and similar reports are emerging from few other places in the state, officials said.

Though the number of commuters waiting for buses at bus stands remained scarce, today being Sunday, those wanting to travel to their native for celebrating Ugadi on Tuesday are affected.

Private buses, mini buses, maxi cabs and other passenger transport vehicles, whom authorities have roped in to manage the crisis and help commuters, were seen providing services to passengers in different parts of the city and the state.

People were using their own vehicles or were seen using cabs, Metro and autorickshaws, especially in the city areas.

Metro has increased the frequency of its services between 7 AM and 9 PM.

RTCs that have been warning employees about continuing with the strike, have started taking actions against trainee employees and are issuing notice for absence from work.

Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) said it has decided not to consider requests for inter corporation transfers of employees who are instigating, threatening colleagues for strike and are hindering bus services, thereby causing inconvenience to the public.

Also employees who have been given such transfers, have been warned that it will be cancelled and that they will be posted to their original place on failing to attend duty immediately, KSRTC tweeted.

Citing inconvenience caused to the public and that the strike was against provisions of the industrial disputes act, the Labour department on Friday had issued an order banning the strike.

The dispute has been referred to the industrial tribunal, Bengaluru for adjudication, it had said.