Over 25,000 Civic Staff Across Karnataka Go On Mass Leave; Demand Pay And Reforms

More than 25,000 municipal employees and officers from 10 major civic bodies in Karnataka, including the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), have gone on mass leave and launched state-wide protests. They staged demonstrations in Bengaluru and district headquarters, demanding the fulfilment of several long-pending demands.

The protest was organised by the Karnataka State City Corporation Employees’ Associations and the BBMP Officers and Employees Welfare Association. Municipal employees from Bengaluru, Mysuru, Hubballi, Dharwad, Mangaluru, Belagavi, Kalaburagi, Davanagere, Ballari, Shivamogga, and Vijayapura joined the protest.

In Bengaluru, civic workers assembled at Freedom Park after formally applying for leave. Sanitation workers also extended their support to the ongoing agitation.

Civic workers seek pay hikes and job benefits

Their key demands include the implementation of the 7th Pay Commission recommendations and amendments to corporation service rules, which have remained unchanged for 15 years.

The protesters are also seeking timely promotions for officers who have remained in the same cadre for over a decade. They demanded the inclusion of garbage collectors under the Jyothi Sanjeevini health insurance scheme and the recognition of municipal workers as government employees.

Other demands include scrapping the LOGSAFE attendance system, filling 6,000 vacant posts in BBMP wards, and reducing work pressure on employees.

Additional demands involve dropping departmental inquiries against headmasters, ensuring health insurance for all staff, finalising seniority lists, restoring the old e-khata system, granting trade licences to health supervisors, and abolishing unrecognised ‘marshal’ posts.

The employees had previously submitted several petitions to the Urban Development Minister and department secretary. After receiving no response, they chose to strike.

Former Chief Minister and BJP MP Basavaraj Bommai criticised the state government, claiming it failed to pay civic workers. He said municipalities were asked to fund staff salaries from their own resources, exposing the government’s weak financial state. He urged the Chief Minister to release the required funds without delay.

The civic staff strike coincides with an ongoing truckers’ strike. Truckers have halted the transport of rice under the Anna Bhagya Scheme, demanding payment of dues worth ₹250 crore.

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