After 15 days, Karnataka transport employees’ strike called off

Bengaluru, Apr 21: In a major relief for commuters, Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) employees, called off their 15-day strike on Wednesday.

At a press conference, honorary president of Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation Employees League Kodihalli Chandrashekar, said "we have decided to withraw strike temporarily due to court order, however, we will continue the strike, if our demands are not met."

"We respect the trust and the responsibility the court has placed on us. We will postpone the strike temporarily and resume work from Thursday. That doesn't mean our struggle ends," he said.

Karnataka High Court on Tuesday said this was not the time for the employees to go on strike as it would violate the fundamental rights of the citizens.

"Employees have come to work on the advice of the High Court," a Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation official said.

The employees of the four transport corporations, including the Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) and the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC), had gone on an indefinite strike from April 7 demanding the implementation of the Sixth Pay Commission recommendations.

The government had cracked the whip and sacked a large number of employees from services for not heeding to the notices, damaging vehicles and attacking the staff who were returning to work.

The department has sacked 1,970 employees, suspended 2,941 and given notices to 7,666 to return to work.

The KSRTC has revoked the suspension of 56 employees.