Some services hit as Karnataka government employees begin indefinite strike

Some services hit as Karnataka government employees begin indefinite strike

Mangalore Today News Network

Bengaluru, Mar 01, 2023: In an embarrassment to the government ahead of Assembly elections, about eight lakh employees and those working in aided institutions launched an indefinite strike, demanding pay revision, across Karnataka on March 1. This had an impact on several essential services. Last-minute parleys with Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai late on February 28 night had failed to yield a breakthrough.

 

While office-bearers of Karnataka State Government Employees’ Association conveyed their decision to the government, Mr. Bommai is expected to meet the office-bearers in the evening after his return from Chamarajanagar, sources in the Chief Minister’s Office said.

Which services in Karnataka are affected

   * Government and aided educational institutions shut with teachers joining the strike
   * Preparatory examinations of class 10
   * Outpatient services in government hospitals shut
   * Only emergency services made available in government hospitals
   * Waste management, revenue services in local bodies affected partially
   * Secretariat services to shut down completely

Health services hit across Karnataka

Health sector has been affected by the strike as Out Patient Departments (OPD) has been shut down at all government hospitals across the state. A total of 4,800 doctors under the Health Department, including those in administrative posts like medical officers are taking part in the strike. However, emergency cases like accidents, deliveries and also services like chemotherapy and dialysis is going go on. The doctors attending to emergencies are wearing black badges as a sign of protest. While in some speciality hospitals such as Vani Vilas hospital, pregnant women coming for regular follow up were attended while in K.C. General Hospital and Victoria Hospital those who came for OPD services had to return disappointed. In some hospitals scheduled surgeries have also been postponed.

With permanent pourakarmikas joining the strike, garbage collection has been affected in several parts of Bengaluru, and is is likely to affect in other urban local bodies too. Essential civic services in Bengaluru, including  primary health care centres, issuing birth and death certificates, tax payment and work related to election are expected to be affected in all the BBMP zones.  “Around 10,000 employees in various city corporations in the state including the BBMP employees will extend the support to the strike,” Karnataka City Corporation Employees’ Association president A Amruthraj said.

Educational institutions

the teaching community extending support, government and aided schools and colleges remain closed even as the preparatory examination for class 10 will be affected. The Government Primary School Teachers Association, Government High School Teachers Association, Government Pre-University College lecturer Association and Karnataka Government College Teachers Associations have extended their support to the strike.

The decision to go ahead with the strike was taken in midnight after meeting with Chief Minister made no headway. Though the association President C.S. Shadakshari, said that the Government was positive towards their demands, the employees had decided to go ahead with the strike since Government had not offered any concrete options to their demands.

In general, employees have been asking 40 % fitment to their basic pay with retrospective effect from July 1, 2022 as the term of 6 th Pay Commission ended on that date. Besides, they are asking for scrapping of National Pension Scheme in favour of Old Pension Scheme, which the Government is not ready to even negotiate.

While Mr. Bommai had on Tuesday morning offered the olive branch by stating that the Government would ask the 7th Pay Commission to immediately submit an interim report on which the State Government could act upon, he also pointed out that the necessary money had been kept aside in the budget. Meanwhile, the Opposition Congress and Janata Dal (Secular) have extended their support to the demands of employees and announced that they will implement the demands if they are voted to power.

Transport not affected

While Karnataka State Road Transport Employees League, one of the Road Transport Corporation employees’ unions, will stage a protest demanding salary on par with government employees at Freedom Park, KSRTC and BMTC bus services and Namma Metro services will be available as usual. Though NPS employees in electricity supply companies are extending support to scrapping of NPS, services will not be affected. Various Universities including Visvesvaraya Technological University and Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences, will conduct semester exams for the Under Graduate (UG) and Post Graduate (PG) course.

Courtesy: The Hindu