Roadways, Pepsu contractual workers’ strike: 2,500 buses go off Punjab roads, commuters hit
8,200 contractual and outsourced employees of the Punjab Roadways and the Pepsu Road Transportation Corporation called off their strike following a meeting with the state’s transport minister
Contractual employees of the Punjab Roadways and Pepsu Road Transportation Corporation went on a strike on Wednesday in support of various demands, including hike in pay. They later called off their strike following a meeting with state’ s transport minister Laljit Singh Bhullar.
The strike left many passengers stranded at various bus stands, including in Jalandhar, Bathinda, Fazilka and Ludhiana, in the state.
Around 2,500 buses of Punjab Roadways and the PRTC were off the roads in view of the strike call, while 10% of the buses being operated by regular employees operated on different routes. “The respective governments have been making lame excuses for the past five years as it had promised to bring policies for regularisation of their services in 2017 and 2022 but it had completely failed to fulfill their promise till date,” he said.
Nearly 8,200 contractual and outsourced employees have been seeking regularisation of their jobs for over 10 years. Presently, contractual conductors are being paid ₹17,000 per month, while contractual drivers get ₹18,000 per month.
The minister told the employees that most of their demands have already been accepted but the remaining would be fulfilled soon as per rules. The minister asked them to cooperate with the transport department.
He directed the officials to pay the next salary to the employee with a 5% increase and reinstate the blacklisted employees as per the rules. The minister also directed to replace the buses that are in bad condition.
Roadways/PRTC Contractual Employees’ Union general secretary Chanan Singh said besides regularisation of their jobs, the employees are demanding 5% annual increase in their remuneration; reinstatement of suspended employees; employees shouldn’t be hired through outsourcing; supply of spare parts and tyres for the safety of staff and passengers and hiring of private buses under the kilometre scheme shouldn’t be done.
The contractual employees will also hold a meeting with Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on September 29 during which they will raise the demand for regularisation of their services, said Baljit Singh, vice-president of the Punjab Roadways, Punbus and PRTC Contract Workers’ Union.
In an attempt to minimise the impact of the strike on the general public, the state transport department also directed managements of the state transport undertakings to rope in its regular staff doing desk job for the field job.
Harkesh Singh Vicky, vice-president of roadways/PRTC Contractual Employees’ Union, said, “We have received a written assurance from the government that our demands are under consideration and required steps will be taken in the comings days. Convinced over government’s response, we decided to call off the strike and resumed bus services from Wednesday onwards,” he said.
(With inputs from PTI)
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