The founder members were Mechanical Staff of Central Works, Pappanamcode TVM and Com.Abdulkhader was the first General Secretary. With the rise of the political and trade union movement in Kerala and with the patronage of the undivided communist party, Kerala State Transport Employees Union affiliated to AITUC had become the major trade union in KSRTC. The undemocratic functioning of the leaders o
f the union where then openly opposed by the rank and file of the union. Even committee meeting and annual conferences to be conducted according to bye-law were avoided. The anti working class activities of the employees union paved way to certain units of the union cutting of the connection with the permanent body and not remitting the monthly subscriptions of the members to Head Office. A section of conductors working in the Employees Union formed a separate union of there own. It is particularly noteworthy that the attitude of the CPM after the 1964 Communist Party split was that trade unions under AITUC (which was patronized by CPI after the split) should be kept intact since workers holding different ideologies and political faiths could work as a single trade union for protecting common interests of the working class. However the anti-working class attitude of the Employees Union gradually prompted the common members to leave the organization and joined KSRTEA. Individual units who had earlier several connections with the union joined KSTREA. The conductors union earlier mentioned
also joined KSRTEA
The historic struggle of 1969 after the resignation of Com.EMS’s ministry on October 17th, KSRTEA fought against every odds demanding the re-induction of 614 terminated employees. The strike lasted for 32 days. To defeat KSRTEA, AITUC, INTUC and individual unions like Drivers Union, Mechanical Workers Union, Staff Union joined hands with the management. However the workers stood fast with KSRTEA. The strike ended only after the appointment of a tribunal to examine each case of the termination
CITU was formed in May 30th 1970. In the formation conference at Calcutta, delegates of KSRTEA were also present. KSRTEA became affiliated to CITU. With the merger KSRTC Staff Federation in 1974, the dream of one union in one industry representing all categories, was achieved. This organization has since then conducted many struggles upholding the demands of the workers of the industry and the working class in a whole. We are proud of the fact that we were in front of the agitation against the authoritarian rule of Smt. Indira Gandhi and the draconian laws effected during the emergency regime in 1975. On July 10 1975 Com EMS & AKG along with other prominent leaders were arrested by leading demonstration against emergency rule. In protest of the arrest of the leaders, the KSRTEA called for a strike on 11th July 1975. As a result many transport workers were victimised and so many comrades were arrested. Many workers went on underground including women employees. Some comrades were dismissed. In 1986, a referendum was held for the first time to decide the recognized unions in KSRTC. We were the single trade union that got recognized. This was the case in every time referendum was conducted. According to the latest referendum conducted by KSRTC management, KSRTEA holds 58.5% vote of the employees of KSRTC and the membership now is 65% of the total employees. It is widely accepted that our organization is a role model not only for its democratic functioning but also for its social commitments
KSRTEA is the only organization in KSRTC that fights against the privatization of the nationalized routs of KSRTC and to protect the service benefits including the regularization of daily wage employees by filing cases in the Hon’ble High Court and in the Supreme Court. We publish a monthly house magazine named “Transport Employee” that is widely read by the workers, pensioners and general public and subscribed by many public libraries. The motto of the organization is not only to serve to the interests of the workers but also to save industry. Five study reports were prepared for the improvement, development and expansion of the industry. This organization is also in the forefront of struggles to save KSRTC and public sector in general
