The indefinite strike called by the Joint Action Committee (JAC) of KSRTC trade unions on August 5, demanding a wage hike and the settlement of 38 months’ salary arrears, saw only limited participation in Bengaluru. While the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC), Kalyana Karnataka Road Transport Corporation (KKRTC), and North Western Karnataka Road Transport Corporation (NWKRTC) experienced nearly 50% disruption in schedules, the Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) operated more than 90% of its services. This was largely due to over 1,500 new recruits deployed on duty, and a significant number of employees—more than 3,500—who had previously signed undertakings not to participate in future strikes after facing termination in earlier agitations.
KSRTC Staff and Workers Federation General Secretary D.A. Vijaya Bhaskar acknowledged the limited impact in Bengaluru and attributed it to various internal and logistical challenges. A significant factor was the operation of over 1,000 electric buses, run by private companies, whose drivers were not affiliated with the unions and did not participate in the strike. Adding to this was the union’s inability to mobilize workers effectively due to last-minute developments. The state government had called for an emergency meeting a day before the strike, which ended without a resolution. Furthermore, the Karnataka High Court issued a directive just before the strike began, asking the unions to pause their protest for a day—leaving union leaders with no time to spread awareness or rally employees.
Bhaskar emphasized that confusion and lack of communication diluted the strike’s effectiveness in the capital. “We couldn’t reach all the depots or circulate posters in time,” he said. However, he insisted that had the strike extended even one more day, participation in Bengaluru would have increased substantially. “The employees are with us and the cause is just,” he stated, adding that unions remain committed to pressing the government for fair compensation and resolution of outstanding salary dues. While the protest might not have paralyzed services in Bengaluru, it brought attention to deep-rooted discontent brewing within the state’s transport workforce.
