₹16000 salary at heart of Karnataka's transport strike

Staff working in the transport department of Karnataka, including conductors and drivers, have not had a significant hike in their salary for nearly one-and-a-half decades. This issue is proving to be at the heart of the current transport strike in Karnataka.

Karnataka's government transport conductors and drivers are paid ₹6000 during their six-month training period. Later, during their probationary period, they are paid ₹11000. If they complete two years without any cases against them, they will be made 'permanent' and draw ₹16000 per month.

There has been no significant change in the per-month amount they are paid for quite a long time now.

“Our demands are genuine. The government had given 33% hike in 2003. In 13 years there was no reasonable hike. We will continue to protest until they agree to our reasonable demands,” said V Manjunath, Office Secretary, KSRTC staff and workers union.

Interestingly, the hike in 2003 also came with a condition that proved costly to the transport staff.

According to the rules, the driver is assigned to cover a certain distance for each litre of diesel. But the buses, almost all of which are in a dilapidated condition, cover much less than the specified distance per litre.

But the Karnataka government has still placed responsibility for that on driver and conductor.

Adding to their woes, if anyone is caught travelling without a ticket, even that amount is cut from the driver and conductor’s salary.

Perhaps travellers who pick fights with the bus staff when asked to show their passes should keep this fact in mind, remain calm and display their passes when asked.

Speaking further about the demands, Manjunath said, “Our other demands to the government include addressing the staff shortage and relaxing draconian rules like fines on conductors if passengers fail to produce a ticket during an inspection. We have also asked for new buses. Engine problems in old buses make it impossible to meet the set target of 6 km per litre of diesel. Drivers are only able to cover 3 to 4 km on one litre of diesel. However when we report the same issue to higher authorities, they deduct the money spent on diesel from our pockets.”

Currently, the bus staff have asked for a hike of 35%, which the government has explicitly refused. Instead, they have asked the staff to agree to a 10% hike.

Union members say that their strike will continue until there is positive feedback from the state government.

Reacting to this, Ramalinga Reddy, Transport Minister, said, “Compared to rest of the states, BMTC and KSRTC employees are drawing more salary and other facilities. Adding to regular wages and other benefits, the transport corporations are also giving away 2% of total collections to KSTRC employees and 3% to BMTC employees.”

“Both KSRTC and BMTC are not in a position to make the salary hike beyond 10%. BMTC is undergoing a lot of financial crisis. If we increase the wages beyond 10%, we need to revise ticket fares. Compared to rest of the states, BMTC fare is already high. Let the union call off the strike and come for talks,” he added.

The transport department has 23,000 buses and ferries 1.70 crore passengers every day. Out of this, 55 lakh commute in BMTC in and around Bengaluru.