Matters have come to a head in the Surat division of the State Transport (ST) department, where the S T Karmachari Union (INTUC) has been holding sway for 30 years. The STKU claims the backing of 4250 of the division's 4450 employees.

However, the BMS also claims the support of 2342 employees and says it should be the registered union. The Majoor Mahajan too is chipping in, claiming that it too has the support of a few hundred of the department's employees.

The issue of which union will be recognised officially will be decided on August 20, when the unions will be required to submit a list of employees that support them. As of now, the two main unions are engaged in a war of words with both claiming the required support for recognition. The STKU has threatened to approach the court.

General Secretary of STKU (INTUC) Vijaykumar Mali, while saying that his union was predominant in the ST corporation since its inception, alleged that the BMS was being projected as the recognised union after the BJP took over power in the state. ``Barely 10 to 12 people have signed for the BMS, and all the other names are simply added onto the list from the muster rolls,'' Mali said.

The Trade Union Act 1926 prescribes that a particular union ought to have a minimum of 50 per cent presence in the department to be accorded recognition. The STKU now plans to approach the High Court and even the Supreme Court against ``unfair labour practices'' if the state government provides recognition to the BMS.

Commenting on the BMS, Mali stated that it's leaders had made ``certain leaders in the government their godfathers'' and were attempting to illegally enter the ST department. ``Let it be known that they do not have any presence and both, the State government and the ST corporation will have to face a court case if recognition is accorded,'' Mali asserted.

Replying to the charges levelled by the STKU, Eknath Kadam, general secretary of the BMS (Surat division) said that the STKU office-bearers were feeling insecure with the sudden rise of his union. ``More than 2000 STKU members have resigned and come over to our side,'' Kadam claimed, and added that he will produce a list of more than half of the ST employees on August 20.

When asked on what basis the BMS was claiming the support of 2342 employees when the STKU already had the support of 4250 of the total 4450 employees, Kadam's explanation was that ``An employee can support more than one union at any given time. After all, an employee will support a union that works for his welfare. He flatly denied that the BJP government was `helping' the BMS in securing a majority in the ST corporation.

If such claims and counter-claims continue after Aug 20, the labour commissioner might be required to take a vote on which of the two unions -- the STKU (INTUC) or the BMS -- should be recognised in the ST corporation.