Karnataka transport workers refuse govt offer, vow to continue strike

Confusion prevailed over restarting of Bengaluru and suburban bus services, which partially resumed on Sunday night, as protesting workers vowed to continue the strike two hours after the Karnataka government announced an end to the three-day strike called by the employees of the four corporations.

Transport Minister Laxman Savadi, surrounded by the representatives of the striking employees, made the announcement around 6 pm, stating that the government has agreed to consider the grievances of the employees. Though the announcement fell short of the demands when Savadi rejected the idea of "government-employee status", it still gave a positive signal with hundreds of buses across the state beginning operations.

Savadi said the government has agreed to provide health insurance under Arogya Sanjeevini scheme, consider the revision of pay scale in accordance with 6th pay commission, Rs 30 lakh for employees who died due to Covid-19 and a committee on inter-corporation transfer. "However, we have not agreed to provide them government-employee status," the minister said.

However, hours later, leader of the striking workers R Chandrashekhar and honorary president of the workers association Kodihalli Chandrashekhar held a meeting with freedom park. At around 8 pm, an announcement was made stating that the strike will continue.

With this, the government has failed to break the logjam over the demand by the Road Transport Corporation (RTC) workers who shifted gears of the strike by beginning a fast at Freedom Park on Sunday. Bus services across the state have continued to be crippled for the third day.

Thousands have sat down at Freedom Park, rebuffing appeals by Transport Minister Laxman Savadi to end the strike until their demands are met. Two meetings were held from the morning but neither sides refused to change their position.

Asked about the continuation of the strike despite the holding of meetings, farmers' leader Kodihalli Chandrashekhar, who was selected honorary president of the striking workers on Saturday, said the ball was in the court of the government.

"Our representatives have taken part in the two meetings from the morning. In the first meeting, we placed before them a list of 10 demands. In the second meeting, we had to clarify some of the issues they raised with regard to the demands," he explained.

The third meeting began around 3.15 pm and Chandrashekhar warned that any dilution of their demand will not be allowed. The first of the 10 demands, workers said, was to give them the status of the government employee.

"They have said that they will skip the first demand and take a decision on the nine other demands. However, I am telling the government, the failure to consider the first demand will make any response to the nine other demands irrelevant," he said.

Chandrashekhar asked the workers what would they do if the first demand is not met. "Strike will continue," came the response from thousands of workers and their family members, including children.
"We shall continue then. Tomorrow (Monday), another set of workers will begin the fast," he said.