Haryana Roadways employees on Friday announced a statewide chakka jam (road blockade) on November 5 and 6, warning the state government to fulfil their pending demands by November 4.
The employees held protests at roadways depots across Haryana and submitted memoranda addressed to the chief minister, demanding the issuance of official circulars on 12 demands agreed upon during a meeting with the transport minister on September 8.
They also extended support to electricity employees protesting the privatisation of power distribution.
Morcha leaders said the employees had served a strike notice for September 5 and 6. During the subsequent meeting with the transport minister on September 8, the government agreed to 12 major demands and assured the unions that the corresponding circulars would be issued within a month. However, more than one-and-a-half months later, the circulars remained pending, prompting the employees to announce the fresh agitation, they said.
Union representatives, including Rajbir Duhan, Sandeep Jainawas, Karmbir Masudpur and Bajrang Lakha, opposed the proposed privatisation of power distribution and the decision to grant a parallel distribution licence to private company Eleven Power for 25 years in Gurugram and Nuh.
They said the privatisation of public services would adversely affect employees as well as consumers. The leaders also opposed plans to issue private permits in the roadways sector, arguing that such a move would weaken the state-run transport system and threaten employment opportunities.
{{/usCountry}}They said the privatisation of public services would adversely affect employees as well as consumers. The leaders also opposed plans to issue private permits in the roadways sector, arguing that such a move would weaken the state-run transport system and threaten employment opportunities.
{{/usCountry}}The key demands of the roadways employees include a ban on private permits, upgradation of pay grades for operators, promotions for operators who have been awaiting advancement since 2008, and regularisation of drivers recruited in 2016 from their dates of appointment.
The employees are also seeking fresh recruitment of drivers, conductors and workshop staff, payment of pending bonuses and resolution of other promotion-related issues.
The morcha warned that roadways services across the state would be halted on November 5 and 6 if the government failed to issue the promised circulars by November 4. The unions said the proposed agitation was aimed at securing implementation of the commitments made during the September meeting.