Karnataka High Court Stays Statewide Transport Strike Planned for May 20
Court asks transport unions to hold talks with the government over wage revision and salary hike demands.
Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court on Tuesday stayed the statewide transport strike planned by employees’ unions for May 20 over disputes related to wage revision and salary hikes.
The strike had been announced by transport workers to protest the state government’s decision to implement wage revision from 2025 instead of 2024. The unions were also opposing the government’s proposal of a 12.5 percent salary increase, insisting on a 25 percent hike.
A division bench comprising Justice Suraj Govindaraj and Justice K. Manmatha Rao passed the interim stay order while hearing a Public Interest Litigation seeking directions to prevent the proposed strike.
The court also issued notices to both the Karnataka government and transport employees’ unions. During the hearing, the bench advised union representatives to continue discussions with the Transport Minister and postponed further hearing of the matter until Thursday.
Earlier, transport unions had warned that if the government failed to address their demands by Tuesday afternoon, buses operated by all four state run transport corporations, including the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation, would stop services from 6 am on Wednesday.
On Monday, a long meeting between transport corporation officials and leaders of the Joint Action Committee of road transport workers’ unions was held at Labour Bhavan on Bannerghatta Road under the chairmanship of Labour Commissioner Dinesh Kumar. However, the discussions ended without any agreement.