The Joint Action Committee (JAC) of Trade Unions of Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) has announced an indefinite statewide strike from May 20, intensifying pressure on the State Government over long-pending demands related to wages, arrears, employee welfare measures, and administrative issues.

Addressing a press conference in Kalaburagi on May 12, D.A. Vijayabhaskar, general secretary of the KSRTC Staff and Workers’ Federation, and B. Jayadevaraj Urs, general secretary of the Akhila Karnataka State Road Transport Employees’ Federation, accused the government of ignoring repeated appeals from transport employees despite several rounds of representations and negotiations.

Mr Vijayabhaskar said employees of the four State-run transport corporations had been demanding a 25% salary hike with retrospective effect from January 2024. However, the State Government had proposed only a 7% increase, to be implemented from April 1, 2025.

Describing the offer as insufficient, the JAC leaders said the revised wage proposal neither addressed the rising cost of living nor reflected the financial hardships faced by transport employees in recent years.

He demanded that the State Government pay ₹1,272 crore in pending wage arrears covering 26 months, in a single instalment rather than in phased payments.

Joint Action Committee leaders demanded the release of compensation for the families of transport employees who died during the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite assurances from the government, many families are yet to receive financial relief, they alleged

“The government has failed to respond positively despite multiple petitions and discussions. Employees who have continued to work under difficult conditions are being denied legitimate benefits,” the leaders claimed.

They maintained that employees had been facing procedural and service-related difficulties for several years without any concrete intervention from the authorities.

Stating that repeated representations and appeals to the government had failed to yield any positive response, the union leaders said employees had been left with no option but to resort to an indefinite strike from May 20.

They warned that the agitation could disrupt the functioning of all four State-run transport corporations across Karnataka if the government failed to initiate talks with the unions.