Employees of the \Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) have begun a 24-hour strike, under the aegis of the Transport Democratic Federation (TDF).
Twelve demands have been raised by the protesting employees, including
timely payment of salaries, payment of pensions and clearance of dearness allowance or DA dues. They are also demanding that the privatisation of nationalised routes be stopped and wish for the government to implement the wage revision agreement. They are also seeking special allowances for drivers.
Transport Minister KB Ganesh Kumar, however, has condemned the strike calling it an endeavour to weaken the KSRTC. He reiterated that the KSRTC intends to stick to its plan to pay salaries on the first of every month, as was announced. Therefore, the strike was actually unnecessary and will only have an adverse effect on the employees and the public.
It is pertinent to mention here that last November Kumar had announced that KSRTC employees would now receive their salaries on the first day of every month, starting immediately. The initiative was aimed at enhancing employee satisfaction and financial stability across the workforce.
The strike will result in at least half the buses under KSRTC not plying. The chairman and managing director of KSRTC has issued a ‘dies non’ circular too, which means those participating in the strike will have to face ‘no work no pay’.
However, the workers seem undeterred and have gone ahead with their walkout.
