People's Democracy

 KSRTES Strike Against Privatisation Total

UNDER the leadership of the Kerala State Road Transport Employees’ Association (KSRTES, an affiliate of the CITU), the 24 hours token strike held on November 12 in the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) turned out to be total. The strike was intended to register protest against the move of Congress led United Democratic Front (UDF) government of Kerala to privatise the corporation.

The KSRTC strike was organised as per the decision of the national convention of state transport workers, organised by the All India Road Transport Workers’ Federation (AIRTWF) at Chennai on September 3, 2003. Presided over by Shyamal Chakraborty, the convention had decided to observe a “Save STU Day” in all state in the second week of November.

In Kerala, on November 12, the entire workforce went on strike and all KSRTC buses were off the road. Unions belonging to the CITU, AITUC, INTUC, BMC as well as independent unions participated in the strike. An independent union affiliated to the Kerala Congress (B) had also called for strike.

Apart from the moves to privatise the nationalised routes, the strike was also intended to protest against downsizing and closure of 30 depots throughout the state, ‘paving the way for their privatisation. Some of the depots were opened and strengthened during the regime of the CPI(M) led Left Democratic Front (LDF) in Kerala, with elected representatives funds and that of the local bodies.

Release of 21 per cent DA to the KSRTC employees, utilisation of the workshop facilities for construction of bus bodies, regularisation of employment of the dyeing and harness staff recruited by the provincial service commission (PSC), and lifting of the ban on employment and promotion were other main demands the strike sought to focus upon. The PSC recruited workers are paid empanelled daily wages by the corporation, which is a violation of the Kerala High Court’s order given after the CITU had filed petitions in this regard. Along with all the permanent employees, these daily wage employees also participated in the strike in full strength.

KSRTEA (CITU) general secretary K K Divakaran was nominated as convenor of the joint action council that consisted of representatives from the CITU, AITUC and BMS unions and also from the independent unions. The council campaigned throughout the state against the wrong policies of the state and central governments. The pensioners’ union also joined in. In the meantime, the pro-UDF INTUC and its affiliated unions also gave parallel strike notices and this led to a joint strike. The Kerala State Road Transport Workers Federation also supported the strike. There were local level hartals and other modes of agitation under the auspices of the Depot Protection Samiti against the intended closure of 30 depots.

The agitating employees took out protest marches in all districts. In state capital Thiruvanthapuram, P K Gurudasan inaugurated the protest march. K K Divakarn announced that there would be a 72 hours long strike in January 2004 and an indefinite strike in February 2004 if the state government did not settle the issues focussed by the strike.

In the second week of November, the AIRTWF affiliated unions observed the “Save STU Day” in other states as well.