Punjab Roadways, PUNBUS & PRTC:Outsourced workers call off strike after govt accepts demand

Under the agreement, the government will issue appointment letters to outsourced employees on October 26 and 27, addressing one of the key demands behind the agitation

Outsourced employees of Punjab Roadways, PUNBUS and PRTC on Saturday called off their four-day strike after the state government agreed to appoint them on a contractual basis. The breakthrough came during talks with transport minister Harpal Singh Cheema, following which bus services resumed.

Commuters at the ISBT in Ludhiana on Saturday. (Gurpreet Singh/ht)

Under the agreement, the government will issue appointment letters to outsourced employees on October 26 and 27, addressing one of the key demands behind the agitation. However, several service-related grievances raised by contractual and permanent employees remain unresolved, with the next round of discussions scheduled for October 29.

The contractual employees are demanding the regularisation of around 6,500 workers, according to state government data, while outsourced staff are seeking direct contractual appointments, abolition of private recruitment agencies and implementation of the principle of equal pay for equal work.

Permanent and contractual employees have also been pressing for the release of pending dearness allowance (DA) instalments and arrears, restoration of the Old Pension Scheme (OPS), revision of pensions, reinstatement of 37 discontinued allowances and implementation of the cashless health scheme.

The agreement was reached at a meeting between employee representatives and Cheema at the PRTC head office in Patiala on Saturday.

The government has assigned officials to address the outstanding demands, with a meeting scheduled for October 29 to review progress and take a final decision on the pending issues.

The union has warned that failure to address its demands could trigger a fresh agitation.