The passengers were a harried lot on Wednesday as the employees of PUNBUS went on a day-long strike to push for timely release of salaries.
Out of the 264 state-run buses that operate from the Ludhiana depot, PUNBUS has a fleet of 114 buses. As their services were suspended, the passengers were forced to wait for PEPSU Road Transport Corporation (PRTC) buses or private buses amid the scorching heat. On Wednesday, the maximum temperature in the city was recorded at 43 degrees Celsius.
An employees’ union member said that PUNBUS has a fleet of 1,300 to 1,400 buses across the state.
The striking employees said that they would not come to work until their salaries were credited and they were assured that there wouldn’t be any such delay in the future.
“I am going to Chandigarh for work related to my business. I haven’t been able to find a seat in any bus for the last hour,” lamented Harvinder as he waited at the bus stand.
PUNBUS union president Shamsher Singh said, “While the salaries of other employees were credited by the 3rd of every month, we haven’t received our salaries yet. The management we will get our salaries by the evening.”
“We want a permanent solution. In 2022 and 2023 as well, the salary delays re-started a couple of months after our strikes.”
He added that all the depots were operated through contractors, which led to the delay. “The corporation sends the money to the contractors, who then pay us. If they were removed from the equation, we could get the salaries directly.”
{{/usCountry}}He added that all the depots were operated through contractors, which led to the delay. “The corporation sends the money to the contractors, who then pay us. If they were removed from the equation, we could get the salaries directly.”
{{/usCountry}}He also highlighted a delay in payments of balance security. Singh claimed that whenever a contract was renewed, ₹ 15,000 were deducted from the staffers’ salaries, which were to be returned when the contract expired.
“We haven’t received the balance for the last three times,” he alleged. Singh claimed that a balance worth over ₹6 crore was pending.
PUNBUS general manager, Ludhiana, Ranjit Bagga said, “A meeting was underway between the higher officials and employees’ representatives to resolve the issues.”
On the issue of security, he said, “It was taken by the employing firm as a guarantee and was only to be returned when an employee quits.”