
Bharat Bandh Bengaluru today: Are banks and offices closed? Will bus, train, and cab services be affected due to strike?
: Some government services in Bengaluru are likely to be affected as over 25 crore workers are expected to join a nationwide strike today, in what trade unions are calling a protest against the government's 'anti-worker, anti-farmer and pro-corporate policies.' Bengaluru, a major centre for public and private sector operations, is likely to experience disruptions across essential services.
A forum of 10 central trade unions and allied groups has called for the general strike, also known as Bharat Bandh. Services including banking, insurance, postal deliveries, and transport in Bengaluru may be affected, while schools and IT firms are preparing to respond based on the day's developments.
Bengaluru Bandh Today: Banking and insurance services may face disruption
Banks:
Banking operations in Bengaluru may see delays as unions like the Bengal Provincial Bank Employees Association and the All India Bank Employees Association (AIBEA) have backed the strike. This could affect services like cheque clearances, customer support and loan-related queries.
Insurance workers
are also expected to join the protest, which may result in slowdowns in policy-related services and customer assistance.
Postal delays and government staffing shortage expected
Postal employees participating in the strike could delay mail deliveries and other related services. Although government offices will remain open, staffing could be limited, causing delays in routine public dealings.
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Bharat Bandh today: What's open, what's closed? Are road and train services affected as 25 crore workers go on strike?
Transport, coal, and electricity workers to participate
BMTC and KSRTC have not confirmed a halt in bus services, but commuters may face route changes or slower schedules. Over 27 lakh electricity workers nationwide are set to join the strike. While major power cuts are unlikely, minor disruptions may occur.
In Kerala, Transport Minister K B Ganesh Kumar said KSRTC buses will run normally. 'There is no situation in KSRTC at present that warrants employees joining the agitation,' he said. 'KSRTC buses will run as usual.'
However, trade union representatives countered the minister's claim, stating that a formal strike notice had already been submitted and KSRTC employees would take part in the strike.
Bengaluru Bandh July 9: Are schools, colleges open?
The Karnataka government has not declared a holiday for schools or colleges. Most institutions are expected to remain open, though student attendance may drop due to transport issues or safety concerns.
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Bengaluru Bandh Today: What about private sector employees?
Many private firms, including IT companies and start-ups, are monitoring the situation. Some may shift to remote work if travel or safety becomes a concern. App-based logistics and delivery services may also see delays due to road blockades or protests in key locations.
Bharat Bandh Today: Why are workers striking?
According to the unions' forum, the government has failed to hold the annual labour conference for over a decade and is attempting to weaken worker protections by pushing four labour codes. The forum said, 'The government has abandoned the welfare state status of the country and is working in the interest of foreign and Indian corporates, and it is so evident from its policies being pursued vigorously.'
CPI(M) politburo member M A Baby criticised the government, saying, 'All organisations want the strike to succeed. I stand with them... I'm not sure what exactly Ganesh Kumar has said.'
He added that farmers and workers are the backbone of the country and are 'protesting by sacrificing their salaries.'
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Bharat Bandh 9 July: Are schools, colleges closed tomorrow as 10 unions to demonstrate nationwide strike against Modi govt
Workers from sectors such as banking, insurance, postal, highway, coal mining, and construction are expected to participate in the bandh. The forum organising the protest said that preparations were underway in both formal and informal sectors to ensure full participation and impact.
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Deccan Herald
2 hours ago
- Deccan Herald
Despite HC order, Karnataka transport staff call bus strike from August 5
Bengaluru: Despite an interim order by Karnataka High Court, transport corporation employees across the state have decided to go on a strike from 6 am on Tuesday (August 5), likely disrupting bus services across the state. The Joint Action Committee of the Trade Unions of Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation pressed on with the strike after its marathon meeting with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah failed to resolve two contentious issues -- payment of 38 months' arrears amounting to Rs 1,785 crore and a 25 per cent pay hike from January 1, 2024. .We are prepared for protests on August 5: Karnataka HM G offered Rs 718 crore as arrears for 14 months (from January 1, 2022, to February 28, 2023), citing a July 2022 report by retired IAS officer M R Sreenivasa Murthy. KSRTC Managing Director Akram Pasha maintained that employees cannot go on the strike on Tuesday in view of the court order. As a plan B, the RTCs have roped in private players to operate bus services "anywhere they want" after the Transport Department issued an order under Section 66(1) of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988. Private buses can charge fares along the lines of KSRTC and BMTC, he said. The Federation of Karnataka State Private Transport Associations has agreed to operate 4,000 buses, according to its president S Nataraj Sharma. The four RTCs are also roping in school and industrial buses. Pasha said RTC buses would also operate, with the strike having "only a 10-20 per cent impact". "We've also invoked the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA). Employees cannot go on strike and we've cancelled their leave. Violations will result in disciplinary action," he told DH. The KSRTC and the BMTC urged employees to honour the court order and refrain from participating in the strike. Vijaya Bhaskar D A, general secretary of the KSRTC Staff And Workers' Federation acknowledged receiving the court order but said a decision on deferring the strike must be taken collectively by all six unions that are part of the joint action committee. "We received the court order late and could not decide. The strike is very much on,' he told DH. At the meeting, the CM called the demand for 38 months' arrears "unreasonable", noting that the government had implemented the 15 per cent pay hike only from March 1, 2023, based on the Sreenivasa Murthy report. .Karnataka Health Minister asks people not to be 'fooled' by attractive, colourful dishes."When we came to power (in 2023), the four RTCs had combined liabilities of Rs 4,000 crore. None of them is profitable. The government will not be unfair," he noted. He promised to discuss the pay hike after the legislative session and urged the unions to withdraw the strike. However, the committee representatives rejected the offer. Committee convenor H V Anantha Subbarao slammed the government, saying it cannot go back on arrears payments. He added that the 25 per cent hike would remain in effect until 2027. He said employees were "not afraid" of ESMA and were ready to go to jail. Bhaskar criticised the CM for asking them to withdraw the strike and come to a dialogue. "Talks can continue during the strike, too," he remarked. Pasha said the Sreenivasa Murthy report recommended against paying arrears for 24 months (2020 and 2021) due to Covid-19. He called the 25 per cent hike demand "too high". "The last raise was 15 per cent, which is above average. If the same is given, it will result in a financial burden of over Rs 1,700 crore. The four RTCs already have Rs 4,000 crore in liabilities towards PF payments, diesel expenditure, etc," he said.


NDTV
3 hours ago
- NDTV
Karnataka Transport Staff To Go On Strike From August 5
Bengaluru: The employees' union of the state-owned transport corporations have decided to go an indefinite strike from August 5 as talks with the Karnataka government failed on Monday. The Karnataka High Court and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah appealed to the unions to withdraw their protest. The employees' unions were adamant that their 38 months arrears are paid and a salary hike from January 1, 2024 should be implemented. A final round meeting took place between CM Siddaramaiah, Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy and the representatives of the employees' union on Monday, but nothing conclusive came out. "Our discussions happened on arrears of 38 months of salary and salary hike from January 1, 2024. Finally, the chief minister said that he would clear two years of arrears and asked us to give up the claim on the remaining two years' arrears. We have not agreed for it. We need 38 months' arrears," KSRTC Staff and Workers' Federation president H V Anantha Subbarao told reporters. There was no commitment on salary hike from January 1, 2024. "We are not happy. So our strike will start from tomorrow morning," Subbarao said. The union leader said the KSRTC and BMTC staff will not work until the demands are met. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah appealed to the unions to withdraw their protest. Several rounds of meetings have already been held with representatives of different transport unions. Issues can be resolved through mutual dialogue. The CM appealed to the unions to withdraw the protest scheduled for tomorrow, a statement issued by Siddaramaiah's office said. Siddaramaiah said in 2016 when he was in office, a salary revision was implemented with a 12.5 per cent hike. He blamed the previous BJP government which did not revise the salaries in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. "When we assumed power (in 2013), the total debt across all transport corporations was Rs 4,000 crore. In 2018 (when we left office), the pending amount was only Rs 14 crore. Currently, none of the transport corporations are in profit. The government will not be unjust to anyone. All corporations must cooperate," the CM said. Meanwhile, the Karnataka High Court on Monday asked State-run transport unions to postpone their planned strike by a day to allow time for ongoing discussions between union representatives and CM Siddaramaiah to conclude. During the hearing, the Division Bench questioned the government on the prolonged delay in wage revision for drivers and conductors, expressing concern over their interests being neglected. Government counsel and representatives of the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) informed the court that a Joint Action Committee (JAC) - representing employees from all four State-run transport corporations - had announced the strike even as conciliation proceedings over the dispute were still in progress under existing legal frameworks.


India Today
4 hours ago
- India Today
Wage hike, arrear talks fail between Karnataka transport union and Siddaramaiah
Talks between the Karnataka government and transport corporation employees ended in a deadlock on Monday, with no agreement reached on key issues of wage revision and arrears employees had threatened to go on strike from Tuesday, but have now deferred their protest, citing a pending court hearing on the same of the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) Staff and Workers Federation, HV Anantha Subbarao, said the meeting with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah lasted two hours but failed to yield results. The unions are demanding a 25 per cent wage hike from the current base of Rs Rs 1,124 and arrears for 38 months, which they estimate to be around Rs 1,800 'The Chief Minister appealed to us to withdraw the strike. He offered to pay arrears for 14 months and begin wage negotiations only after the Assembly session. But we cannot accept that. We want arrears for the entire 38-month period, we worked during that time. We also want a commitment to start wage hike talks immediately,' Subbarao added that the issue is now narrowed down to 24 months' arrears, roughly Rs 1,000 crore, as the government has already agreed to pay for 14 months. 'This is not a fresh financial burden. Talks can still continue even during the strike, but the ball is in the government's court,' he Minister Siddaramaiah, however, said the unions' current demands go beyond what was agreed to earlier. 'In 2016, when I was Chief Minister, I had implemented a 12.5 per cent wage hike. In March 2023, the previous government signed an agreement for a 15 per cent increase in basic pay. A committee led by Srinivas Murthy recommended paying arrears from January 2022 to February 2023, and we have accepted that. But asking for 38 months of arrears now is unreasonable,' he pointed out that the financial condition of the transport corporations is fragile. 'When we came to power, the collective debt was Rs 4,000 crore. In 2018, it was only Rs 14 crore. None of the corporations are running in profit. The government will not act unfairly, but we all have to cooperate,' he insisted that matters should be resolved through dialogue and said the possibility of holding elections to transport unions would be examined. Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy, Chief Secretary Shalini Rajneesh, and several corporation chairpersons and union leaders were present at the the strike has been deferred, the deadlock remains. 'There will be no protest tomorrow. We will wait for the court hearing on Tuesday before deciding our next course of action,' the union said.- Ends IN THIS STORY#Karnataka