Bengaluru, Jul 27: The state-owned Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) along with three other transport corporations called for their strike after three days, on Wednesday. The government and the employees finally agreed on a 12.5 per cent wage hike. The wage hike was announced on Wednesday and soon after, the employees ended their strike.
After holding discussions with the protesting employees of the transport corporations, the Karnataka transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy was optimistic that the strike would end.
The employees started the protest demanding 35 per cent increase in the their salaries. This demand was toned down and by Wednesday, they demanded a 18 per cent hike. “Today, itself the (KSRTC bus) strike should be called off. They are asking for 18 per cent wage hike,” Reddy told the press after the meeting. “I will convey their (KSRTC staff) demands to the CM. However, CM is clear on giving 10% hike”.
Apart from KSRTC, the other employees belong to Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC), North Eastern Karnataka Road Transport Corporation (NEKRTC) and North Western Karnataka Road Transport Corporation (NWKRTC).
School and colleges remained closed on Wednesday since more than 20,000 buses stayed off roads. Due to shortage of buses, office workers had to wait or resort to other means of transportation. The bus strike caused the state loss of revenue worth Rs 17 crore, plus losses incurred due to additional damages to the buses.
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