Bengaluru, 19 May

Transport unions in Karnataka withdrew their proposed statewide strike on 20 May after the Karnataka High Court directed them not to disrupt public bus services and instead resolve their demands through discussions with the government.

The withdrawal of the strike came after the High Court heard a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) and instructed the unions not to proceed with the agitation, citing inconvenience to the public.

Union leaders, however, accused the government of taking unilateral decisions on wage revision and failing to hold consultations with workers before issuing orders.

“In accordance with the High Court’s order, we have withdrawn the strike. We respect the High Court’s order and will abide by it. We had already informed the government in advance about the strike. Government bus services will not be shut down tomorrow,” convener Jayadevaraje Urs told reporters in Bengaluru.

The HC directed that the strike should not be carried out under any circumstances and advised unions to resolve their grievances through talks with the government. Following the order, transport workers’ representatives announced that the agitation scheduled for Tuesday had been called off.

Addressing a press conference, union leader Vijay Bhaskar said workers had the right to protest but alleged that the government was attempting to suppress the agitation. “You have taken a unilateral decision. You ignored our request and concerns,” he said, expressing anger over the manner in which the wage revision order was issued.

Union representatives said the government had announced a12.5 per cent wage hike without consulting the Joint Action Committee and had failed to convene meetings with either the Chief Minister or the Transport Minister despite repeated requests.

“The right belongs to all workers. Whenever we exercise that right, the administration and governments use various tools to suppress it,” a union representative said.

He alleged that the unions had sought discussions with the government after the wage revision order was issued, but no opportunity was provided for negotiations.

“Had they arranged a meeting with us at the Chief Minister’s level, we would have presented our demands before him. We would have pressured and persuaded him to increase this 12.5 per cent hike,” he said.

The unions are demanding that the wage hike be increased to more than 15 per cent and that the revised pay is implemented retrospectively from 1 January, 2024.

The union leader said the High Court’s intervention had now opened the door for negotiations.

“Now the High Court has given us an opportunity. We will fully utilise this opportunity to discuss our demands with the Chief Minister — to increase the 12.5 per cent basic salary hike to more than 15 per cent, and to restore the effective date to January 1, 2024,” he said.

Another union representative urged the government to convene talks without delay. “Today, the High Court has directed the government that the Chief Minister or the Transport Minister should organise a meeting in Bengaluru to discuss our demands and resolve them appropriately,” he said.

He added that nearly 28 months had already passed withoutresolution of the workers’ demands and called upon the government to hold discussions with the Joint Action Committee at the earliest.

“As for tomorrow’s strike, we have withdrawn it. That is all,” he said.