A little more than a month after Karnataka faced severe problems when the transport unions went on strike, life in the state is set to be severely affected again on Sept. 2. A nation-wide strike will be observed on Friday by trade unions who are demanding higher minimum wage, among other things, than what the 7th pay commission offers.
The Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC), Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC), North Eastern Karnataka Road Transport Corporation (NEKRTC) and North Western Karnataka Road Transport Corporation (NWKRTC) have extended support to the 12-hour strike, which has been called by All India Trade Unions Congress (AITUC) and Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU).
Private transport unions have not confirmed if they will be supporting the strike. Autorickshaw and cab unions have said that they will join the strike.
The four state-run transport corporations have already sent a notice to the state regarding their support to the strike, H V Anantha Subbarao, general secretary of KSRTC Staff and Workers Federation told Deccan Herald.
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There are 23,000 buses under the four corporations and all of them will be off the roads on Sept. 2 from 6 am to 6 pm, Subbarao said.
Academic institutions have not confirmed if they will be shut on Friday. They said that it would depend on the availability of transport. However, going by previous instances, academic institutions are likely to be shut.
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Factories, nationalised banks, insurance companies, and commercial establishments, will be shut to protest over various issues like raising the minimum wage, stopping disinvestment of Coal India, as well as foreign investment in defence and pharmaceutical sectors.
