Employees of Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) affiliated to the pro INTUC trade unions would stage a hunger strike in front of all KSRTC depots on Monday.
Monday also happens to be Thiruvonam day - the most auspicious of all Onam days.
The protest is against the LDF government’s alleged neglect towards KSRTC and its employees.
“The INTUC affiliated Transport Democratic Federation (TDF) would stage hunger strike from 6am to 6pm,” Federation state president Thampanoor Ravi said, reports Times of India.
KSRTC operates on an average, 5,784 services in a day. The daily revenue from these operations comes around to Rs 170 crore.
In a month, the amount to be paid as salary for the permanent employees is Rs 65 crore while it requires Rs seven to eight crore to be paid as wages for employees who have been hired on a temporary basis.
There are around 36,000 employees and 38,000 retirees under the Corporation. The loan liability of the Corporation is Rs 2,700 crore.
The Federation leaders and workers will organise the hunger strike in front of 102 KSRTC depots across the state.
KPCC President MM Hassan inaugurated the state level strike in front of the Secretariat on Monday.
Ravi alleged that the government, instead of taking over the debt of the corporation, was pushing the Corporation to go for more loans and financial liabilities.
Thampanoor Ravi, who is also the organisational general secretary of the KPCC, said that if the debt of the Corporation was Rs 16,000 crore during the United Democratic Front rule, it has increased to Rs 3,000 crore in the last 15 months after the LDF came to power.
“The LDF government is acting against the promises it had made in its election manifesto. The government has violated all promises it made to the employees. There was nothing but breach of promises for the last 15 months and neglect towards KSRTC employees. More workload was imposed on employees by overhauling the duty schedule. Employees were not paid the minimum bonus of Rs 7,000 and the performance allowance which was paid for the last 25 years has also been abolished,” Ravi alleged.