Bengaluru: A nationwide strike has been called by the Motor Transport and Engineering Workers Union and Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) Employees Association to protest against ammendments brought to the central government’s Road transport and Safety Bill, 2014.
The unions have, in a joint statement called the amendments anti labor and anti people. The statement said that the bus employees are opposing the amendments which stipulate jail term and sterner punishments for drivers and conductors even in case of minor accidents and other incidents.
Public transport services across the country tomorrow is expected to be non existent as they strongly believe that the new law will curtail the powers of state-owned transport corporations and will favor private bus operators.
It is reported that the striking employees of public utilities will also be protesting against the attitude of private owners in coastal districts in putting off payment of daily wages to conductors and drivers at the rate already agreed upon. The unions have extended full support to the national level strike call given by different labor unions.
BMTC and KSRTC buses too will be off the roads tomorrow inconveniencing commuters across the state. With the Federation Sr. National Athletics Championship set to take off tomorrow at Mangaluru tomorrow, 4 PM, the organizers are feeling hard pressed to ensure that it goes off smoothly.
(Agencies)
