KSRTC union state-wide strike on November 16

KOTTAYAM: The KSRTC Employees Union on Monday announced a one-day state-wide strike on November 16 with demands, including wage revision.LDF convener Vaikom Viswan told mediapersons that the government had not taken any steps to provide new buses for the season. He said that the government’s plan of using buses from other depots were unscientific as it would affect the daily bus commutters. The union was forced to go on strike as the government had failed to respond to its requests to introduce more new buses in the route. He said that the other demand of the union was to regularise temporary employees who had completed eight years of service.When contacted, Transport Minister  V S Sivakumar told ‘Express’ that the government is operating 500 more buses in the Sabarimala sector this time. He said the government had already procured new buses and were likely to put them into service for the Sabarimala season. He said that the government would make all efforts to persuade the union against going for the strike.