Bus strike from Saturday

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The joint action council of motor workers’ unions has decided to go on an indefinite strike from Saturday in the city following the failure to reach a consensus with the bus owners on the Onam bonus.The compromise talks initiated by District Labour Officer Selvaraj with the managements and motor workers on Thursday remained inconclusive. Following this, the joint action council comprising of CITU, AITUC, INTUC, BMS and BKS unions decided to go ahead with its strike plan.The AITUC Motor Workers’ Union general secretary Pattom Sasidharan told City Express that his union was hoping that the district administration would intervene in the issue.The unions had demanded a bonus of 20 per cent. However,  the bus owners were adamant on their stand that the bonus should be fixed at 17 per cent.Sasidharan said that the bus owners were not ready to accept any compromise on the issue during the talks convened by the District Labour Officer. In such circumstances, the unions said that they were hoping that the District Collector himself would convene a meeting soon to resolve the issue.