In response to trade unions’ impending strike on August 26 protesting the salary crisis, the government is taking steps to alleviate tensions among KSRTC employees. Transport Minister Antony Raju, Labour Minister V Sivankutty, and Finance Minister K N Balagopal are scheduled to engage in discussions with the trade unions at 3 pm on Wednesday.
The upcoming meeting offers a glimmer of hope to distressed KSRTC employees, who face delayed salaries during the Onam season. While the government has announced bonuses and festival allowances for its employees ahead of Onam, both KSRTC and the finance department have yet to take action in distributing salaries to public transport staff, even after a 15-day delay.
Traditionally, the first salary installment is disbursed by the 5th of each month. However, the organization has overlooked the significant number of employees, a situation further aggravated as the state prepares to celebrate Onam.
KSRTC has appealed to the finance department for a Rs 90 crore grant to resolve the salary crisis. Should the government fail to provide the funds and address the salary issue, sources indicate that KSRTC employees might call for an indefinite strike.
More than 24,000 employees within KSRTC await their July salaries, leaving many struggling to make ends meet. In a notable incident in June, Biju Prabhakar, Transport Secretary and CMD of KSRTC, openly protested and even contemplated resignation as the finance department exhibited reluctance to allocate funds to the corporation.
The CMD clarified that he cannot condone a situation in which staff members face hardship during Onam and emphasized that the Corporation is not responsible for the crisis. Transport Minister Antony Raju echoed this sentiment, highlighting the Finance Department’s role in exacerbating the situation and causing friction between the two departments. Whatever the underlying dynamics, the predicament leaves more than 24,000 families in uncertainty.
During the previous Onam, the government controversially proposed distributing store coupons for purchasing groceries, textiles, and other items in lieu of salaries. Such directives emerged just one day before Onam.
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