The indefinite strike called by the four unions, including those affiliated to the CITU and the INTUC, of the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) from Wednesday midnight in support of their various demands has been postponed following talks with Transport Minister A. K. Saseendran.
The Transport Minister stepped in to hold talks and avoid the agitation late in the evening after the unions jointly decided to go ahead with the stir despite the Kerala High Court staying the strike and asking the unions to participate in the conciliatory meeting convened by the Labour Commissioner.
At the meeting in his office in the Secretariat here, Mr. Saseendran was able to break the ice by announcing that the recommendations of Transport Secretary K. R. Jyothilal for rectifying the anomalies of single duty revision in the KSRTC will be implemented from January 21. The anomalies in the revision of the duty of the mechanical wing will be taken up on January 29.
The unions were also able to secure promise from the Minister on commencing the talks for the long-pending salary revision from January 30. Till the new wage accord is inked, the employees will be eligible for all benefits of the present pact.
Mr. Saseendran said the government was for taking back the empanelled staff who were sacked. This will be done after securing the approval of the High Court and in a phased manner.
It was also decided that the KSRTC management will give permission to all the personnel who had taken medical leave and other leave for short periods to rejoin duty. Following the assurances, the unions announced put off the strike.
Mr. Jyothilal, Chairman and Managing Director Tomin J. Thachankary; general secretary of the CITU-affiliated Kerala State Road Transport Employees Association (KSRTEA) C. K. Harikrishnan; R. Sasidharan and R. Ayappan of the INTUC-affiliated Transport Democratic Front (TDF); president of the AITUC-affiliated Kerala State Transport Employees Union (KSTEU) K. P. Rajendran and general secretary M.G. Raghul and KSRTC officials were present during the talks.
The strike notice was served by the KSRTEA and the TDF, the two recognised unions, and the KSTEU on January 1. The Congress-led TDF has Kerala State Transport Workers Union and the Kerala State Drivers Union under its fold.
Earlier in the day, the unions had announced to go ahead with the stir after the talks with the KSRTC CMD failed.