Chief Minister Siddaramaiah at a meeting with the Joint Action Committee of KSRTC Corporations Unions at Vidhana Soudha in Bengaluru on Wednesday. | Photo credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
A joint action committee (JAC) of transport corporation employees met Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy on Wednesday to press for the fulfillment of long-pending demands, including release of arrears and salary revision.
After the meeting, Anantha Subba Rao, president of the KSRTC Staff and Workers’ Federation, said the discussion with the chief minister lasted nearly an hour and was “positive and constructive”. He added that the Chief Minister has asked the unions to hold another round of talks with Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy on December 6 to go into the outstanding issues in detail.
“We hope the December 6 meeting will lead to a favorable outcome. The Chief Minister has assured us that the issues will be resolved after discussions with the Transport Minister,” Mr. Rao said.
The JAC’s demands include the release of arrears and a comprehensive review of salaries. Unions estimate that unpaid dues across the four Road Transport Corporations (RTCs) currently stand at ₹8,010 crore.
Among the main demands are an increase in employee allowances, the modernization of medical facilities for employees and the regularization of drivers and technical workers who are currently hired on contracts. The union has also insisted that only permanent corporate drivers be assigned to operate the electric buses, arguing that employing contract workers for such operations compromises both safety and efficiency.
According to Mr. Rao, the union leaders emphasized that the transport workers played a key role in implementing the government’s welfare initiatives, particularly the ‘Shakti Scheme’, which contributed significantly to public goodwill and increased ridership.
In August, after a failed round of negotiations, the JAC announced an indefinite strike. However, the protest was later withdrawn after it was withdrawn by the Karnataka High Court.
Published – 26 Nov 2025 23:50 IST
