The Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) has issued a strict warning to its employees against participating in the indefinite state-wide strike proposed from May 20, cautioning that those absent from duty will face salary deductions under the ‘no work, no pay’ policy along with other disciplinary action.
The directive was issued on Monday, May 18, through a circular by KSRTC Managing Director Akram Pasha, amid escalating tensions between transport corporation workers and the State government over unresolved demands including wage revision, pending arrears and welfare benefits.
The ongoing dispute between Karnataka’s transport employees and the state government has escalated, with unions representing staff of the four road transport corporations — Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation, Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation, North Western Karnataka Road Transport Corporation and Kalyana Karnataka Road Transport Corporation — threatening an indefinite stay-at-home strike from May 20.
The strike call is being spearheaded by the Joint Action Committee of KSRTC Trade Unions (JAC), which has accused the government of delaying wage revision and failing to settle long-pending arrears.
The unions have asked the Karnataka government to resolve their concerns by the afternoon of May 19. If their demands go unmet, state-wide public transport services operated by all four corporations are expected to be non-operational from May 20, as employees plan to remain at home and refrain from reporting to duty.
The committee alleges that repeated appeals to the government over long-pending issues have yielded no results.
In the circular addressed to senior officers and divisional controllers, KSRTC stated that the proposed strike cannot be allowed under the Karnataka Essential Services Maintenance Act, which classifies all four road transport corporations as essential public utility services.
Under the Act, employees are legally prohibited from participating in strikes, especially when conciliation proceedings are in progress.
The MD urged staff members to refrain from joining the agitation “under any circumstances” and continue attending duty to ensure uninterrupted public transport services. He emphasised that KSRTC services are vital for lakhs of passengers across the State.
The circular also instructed officials in all divisions and depots to take precautionary steps to prevent service disruptions. Leave applications from May 20 onwards are not to be approved except in unavoidable cases.
Officials have been directed to maintain detailed daily records of absentees for salary deduction and initiation of disciplinary proceedings.
In response to the strike call, Mysuru Deputy Commissioner G Lakshmikanth Reddy chaired a coordination meeting on Monday to discuss alternative transport arrangements to avoid inconvenience to commuters.
Representatives from private bus and transport associations attended the meeting. Officials shared that the KSRTC’s Mysuru Urban Division currently operates 534 buses on 517 schedules, while the Mysuru Rural Division operates 720 buses on 691 schedules.
Mysuru Deputy Commissioner Reddy instructed officials to prepare route maps and mobilise private buses, maxi cabs and mini buses if KSRTC services halt from May 20. Transport department and police personnel have been asked to work jointly to ensure smooth public mobility.
He also cautioned private operators against exploiting the situation by collecting excess fares and directed strict monitoring. Adequate police deployment will be made at major bus stands to prevent any untoward incidents, including stone-pelting or crowd disturbances.
The meeting was attended by senior officials including Mysuru Superintendent of Police Mallikarjun Baladandi, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime and Traffic) Sundar Raj, Regional Transport Officers Chouhan and Madhuri, and KSRTC Divisional Controllers Veeresh (Urban) and Srinivas (Rural), along with members of private transport associations.
Demands
Workers are seeking a 25% salary increase along with the settlement of all pending wage arrears. Wage revisions are mandated every four years, but the previous cycle was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
On May 12, the state government approved a 12.5% hike in basic pay, with retrospective effect from April 1, 2025, covering nearly one lakh employees. The unions rejected this offer, stating it falls short of their demand for a 25% hike effective from January 1, 2024.
JAC leaders argue that the government’s proposal does not sufficiently address the rising cost of living and financial challenges faced by transport staff.
This article was written by a student interning with TNM.
