The Joint Action Committee (JAC) of Trade Unions representing the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) has announced an indefinite statewide strike commencing on May 20, 2026. This decision comes after the government failed to adequately address long-standing demands regarding wages, arrears, and employee welfare. Union leaders, including D.A. Vijayabhaskar and B. Jayadevaraj Urs, voiced their frustrations during a press conference in Kalaburagi, Karnataka, on May 12. They highlighted a demand for a 25% salary increase retroactive to January 2024, while the government has only proposed a 7% increase effective from April 1, 2025. The unions also seek the immediate payment of ₹1,272 crore (approximately $153 million USD) in pending wage arrears for the past 26 months. Additionally, they are pressing for compensation for families of employees who succumbed to COVID-19, which remains unpaid despite previous government assurances. The JAC warns that if the government does not engage in talks, the strike could severely disrupt the operations of all four state-run transport corporations across Karnataka.