Govt hardens stand as bus strike enters Day 3

Bengaluru, Jul 27: The deadlock between the government and the unions representing the state transport corporations (STCs) over hike in wages remained unresolved on Tuesday.

Hardening its stand, the government said it was contemplating invoking the Essential Services Maintenance Act (Esma) if the agitating employees did not report for duty by Wednesday evening.

Sources said employees absenting from work on Thursday would be served notices to show cause why disciplinary action should not be initiated against them.

Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy, however, said he was hopeful of resolving the issue. Invoking Esma would be the last option, he added.

Schools and colleges remained closed in Bengaluru on Tuesday.

DC's to take call

Deputy commissioners will take a call on reopening educational institutions depending on the situation in their respective districts.

With no sight of a truce between the two sides, the common man will continue to face hardships for the third consecutive day on Wednesday.

The government, however, did ply 84 buses with security by roping in trainee drivers, mechanical staff and car drivers of officials.

But the services were withdrawn later with people criticising the attempt as putting passengers lives at risk.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who held a series of meetings with Reddy and top officials of the finance and transport departments, ruled out increasing the wages of the employees beyond the proposed 10%. Around 1.23 lakh striking workers have been demanding a 35% increase.

The chief minister has cancelled his scheduled Delhi visit to monitor the situation. He directed the officials to convince the employees to return to work, an officer who attended the meeting told DH, quoting the chief minister.

General Secretary of KSRTC Staff and Workers' Federation H V Anantha Subbarao said the pressing untrained drivers into service was an act of demoralising the employees. “Can the government manage to ply all the 23,000 buses with these untrained drivers?” he asked.

Subbarao said the government was making an all-out effort to defuse the strike. “Threat messages are being sent to the employees asking them to resume work, while a few employees have been suspended,” he added.

Bettanna, a union vice president and a driver attached to the Chikkamagaluru division, was among those suspended.

The strike was also discussed at the state Cabinet meeting on Tuesday.

Sources said the government was finding it difficult to achieve a breakthrough in talks due to lack of unity among the various unions. There are six unions, all unelected bodies. If one of them agrees to withdraw the strike, the others protest, the sources pointed out. Though the agitation has by and large remained peaceful, the police on Tuesday had to resort to mild caning near Majestic area to control the crowd.