Mangalore: KSRTC Employees to Go on Statewide Indefinite Strike
 
Pics: Brijesh Garodi
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore (PS)
 
Mangalore, Apr 25: Lamenting that the problems faced by KSRTC employees are being neglected by the state government, Praveen Kumar, convener, KSRTC employees unions’ joint committee on Wednesday April 25 said that KSRTC employees across the state will go on an indefinite strike from Friday April 27.
 
Addressing a press meet, he said, "The demands of revising the salary and providing facilities are not being met. It was a ploy to divide the KSRTC into four units in the state to avoid employees from being united and gaining in strength," he said and added that transport minister R Ashok has not convened a meeting of the employees in the last three years to listen to their grievances.

"More than 50 percent of the employees are recruited as trainees and are not made permanent. They are made to work 12 to 14 hours a day for which they are paid a meager salary of Rs 4000 to 6000 per month. Hence, no driver is interested in joining KSRTC," he said and adding that private bus companies recruiting them were trained by KSRTC.
 
"Also, resignations, voluntary retirement, and even suicide cases have caused a decrease in the number of staff, and the remaining employees are experiencing the burden. Employee are not paid overtime for double duty. Weekly offs and leaves are denied to them. The KSRTC has been making an income of Rs 2 crore every month by imposing penalty on employees itself and Rs 4 crore is collected by cutting off on basic salary and by deferring increment. Though KSRTC is making profit these years, no bonus or ex gratia has been paid," he alleged.
 
He held the management of KSRTC responsible for the inconvenience caused to the public by the indefinite strike and said that though a letter of demand was sent to the managing director on February 29, and even conventions were organized in various parts of the state, no talks were held.
 
Rakesh Malli, president of INTUC who was present during the press meet said that INTUC too will support the strike.
 
KPCC secretary Ivan D’Souza was also present.
 
As many as one lac KSRTC employees will be on strike.