Bengaluru: Road Transport Corporation (RTC) employees held a demonstration at Freedom Park on Monday, demanding payment of 38 months' arrears and a fresh salary revision under the 7th Pay Commission.
The strike was spearheaded by the Karnataka State Transport Employees' League.
In a letter to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, the league demanded that Karnataka's Congress government emulate Telangana in fulfilling its election manifesto promise of bringing RTC employees on a par with state government employees and giving them a pay hike as per the 7th Pay Commission.
Karnataka: RTC staffers to launch strike from May 20League president R Chandra Shekar said that, although Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy and the Managing Director of the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) held meetings, they did not fulfil the demands placed by the employees.
While the government issued a circular to pay Rs 1,271.92 crore as 26 months' arrears, the league demanded 38 months' arrears totalling Rs 1,785 crore, starting January 1, 2020.
The government offered a 7% pay hike starting January 1, 2024, but the league demanded that RTC employees receive pay equal to state government staff as per the 7th Pay Commission. It also sought elections to the RTC employees' union.
The league is one of several unions claiming to represent RTC employees in the state.
The Joint Action Committee of the Trade Unions of Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation, which comprises 6 unions, has announced an indefinite bus strike starting May 20 over arrears payment and pay hike. It has also sought Rs 1,785 crore in arrears for 38 months (Jan 1, 2020, to Feb 28, 2023) and a 25% pay hike starting January 1, 2024. The committee wants the government to match the 27.5% hike granted to government employees under the 7th Pay Commission.