Bengaluru, Apr 9 (IANS): Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa on Friday appealed again to the Karnataka State Road Transport Employees League (KSRTEL) to end their strike and get back to work.

"I am very much positive and I am willing to hold talks with the employees. I am confirming once again that it is not possible to implement the sixth pay commission at this point in time. So, I request once again to come and join the duty," he told the media.

The Chief Minister added that this is not the time to listen to any union or take part in any such protest.

"We together have already suffered, we are already spending 85 per cent of all earnings from the state-run four transport corporations for the payment of salaries and maintenance of vehicles. We are not able to save even 15 per cent to carry out any developmental works," he said.

Yediyurappa added: "I request all the four state-run transport corporation employees to come and join the duty and start operating buses immediately as all are aware of the loss we have incurred due to the Covid-19 pandemic."

He said that it was not right to trouble at this juncture, when the country has come under the grip of the second Covid wave and as a government agency "it is our duty to serve the people in distress."

The Chief Minister said that despite hardships due to the pandemic, the government had not stopped providing salary to any employee even as the transport corporations had incurred losses.

The bus services remain affected in the state for the third consecutive day on Friday as KSRTC employees continued with their indefinite strike.

The KSRTEL had given a call for an indefinite strike demanding their salary hike, permanent job, wages and shifts.