Bengaluru, May 18 (UNI) Karnataka is staring at a major public transport shutdown from May 20 as transport employees’ unions threatened to launch an indefinite statewide bus strike, warning that lakhs of commuters could be stranded if the government fails to resolve their demands by Monday evening.
The proposed agitation is expected to severely impact services operated by all four State-run transport corporations across Karnataka, with unions declaring that bus operations could begin coming to a halt from the night of May 19 itself.
Transport workers have accused the State government of ignoring their long-pending demands, particularly on salary revision and payment of arrears. union leaders said employees have been demanding a 25 per cent wage hike with retrospective effect from January 1, 2024, but the government unilaterally approved only a 12.5 per cent increase effective from March 2025.
Rejecting the government’s decision, unions termed the revised pay structure “unacceptable” and warned that even the invocation of the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) would not deter employees from proceeding with the strike.
In a last-ditch attempt to prevent the shutdown, the government has convened fresh conciliation talks with union leaders under the Labour Commissioner in Bengaluru on Monday afternoon. Previous rounds of negotiations, however, failed to produce a breakthrough.
Apart from wage revision, transport employees are also pressing for immediate clearance of salary arrears pending since the Covid-19 period in 2020. Though the government has released Rs 450 crore as the first instalment towards pending dues, unions are demanding full payment in one phase instead of staggered disbursal.
Transport leader Vijay Bhaskar said the fate of the strike would be decided after Monday’s talks and made it clear that employees were prepared for agitation if the government failed to respond positively.
Several employees voiced frustration over mounting financial difficulties and delayed payments, saying they were being forced into protest despite not wanting to disrupt public services.
If the conciliation talks collapse, thousands of government buses may remain off Karnataka roads from Wednesday, triggering widespread disruption in Bengaluru and other parts of the State.
UNI BDN RSA