Punjab Roadways, PRTC contractual staff on indefinite strike for pay hike
Passengers bear the brunt as nearly 2,500 buses of Punjab Roadways and Pepsu Road Transportation Corporation were off road
Contractual employees of the Punjab Roadways and Pepsu Road Transportation Corporation went on an indefinite strike on Wednesday in support of their demands, including a hike in pay.
The strike left many passengers stranded at bus stands, including in Fazilka and Ludhiana, in the state.
Punjab Roadways, Punbus and PRTC Contract Workers’ Union vice-president Baljit Singh said they were protesting against the non-implementation of the promise of a 5% annual increase in salaries, withdrawal of retrenchment orders of 250 contractual staff besides other demands.
Also read: 24 years on, HC awards ₹5 lakh as damages to Gurdaspur man for denial of appointment
He said around 2,500 buses of Punjab Roadways and the PRTC were off the roads in view of the strike call.
Singh said nearly 7,000 contractual employees were taking part in the strike and only regular employees of the state-owned transport undertaking joined work on Wednesday.
Unaware of the strike call, passengers faced inconvenience in many parts of the state.
“I have been waiting for a state-owned bus for more than half an hour,” said a woman at the Ludhiana bus stand who was headed for Amritsar.
The employees are holding protests at all 27 bus depots in the state. (With inputs from HTC, Bathinda)
Recommended Topics