The indefinite strike called by a joint action council of private bus workers’ unions in the district demanding 20 per cent bonus and five per cent ex gratia began here on Wednesday.
The conciliation initiative by the Regional Joint Labour Commissioner K.M. Sunil held at the Labour Office here on Wednesday morning was inconclusive as both the unions and bus operators stuck to their positions. The bus operators’ argument is that under the new amendment to the Indian Bonus Act only the workers in establishments having more than 20 workers are eligible for bonus. They have approached the High Court questioning the unions’ demand.
The strike did not affect buses from other districts. Kannur University has re-scheduled its examinations in view of the bus strike.
An official press release informed that District Collector P. Bala Kiran would convene a meeting of representatives of the bus operators’ association and the trade unions at the Collectorate here at 11 a.m. on April 7 to broker a solution.
