To mark their protest against the state government and transport department authorities, members of the Punjab Roadways and the Pepsu Road Transport Corporation (PRTC) contractual workers’ union on Wednesday carried out a rally at PRTC’s city depot.
The workers, protesting against the suspension of a Punbus conductor in Batala and the transfer of 15 staffers from Ferozepur to Patti, raised slogans against the Aam Aadmi Party-led (AAP) government and the department at the local depot’s gate of the government-run bus services.
Notably, the union has conducted similar rallies in 27 other bus depots across the state.
The protesters accused the state government of failing to pay any heed to their long-standing demand, with union members saying warning against intensifying the agitation. Contractual workers have also been demanding regularisation.
Speaking about the same, the union general secretary Shamsher Singh said, “The additional chief secretary had a meeting with the chief minister (CM) on November 14, in which a written assurance was given to resolve the issues of workers within seven days and to hold a meeting with the CM.”
“However, no action has been taken even 16 days after the meeting. Our demand to cancel the transfers of workers from Ferozepur remains unresolved, due to which the workers have neither joined Ferozepur depot nor the Patti depot. They have remained off route for more than 20 days,” he added.
{{/usCountry}}“However, no action has been taken even 16 days after the meeting. Our demand to cancel the transfers of workers from Ferozepur remains unresolved, due to which the workers have neither joined Ferozepur depot nor the Patti depot. They have remained off route for more than 20 days,” he added.
{{/usCountry}}On the Batala suspension, Singh said, “It was discussed that the inquiry against the bus conductor must be completed within three days, but nothing has materialised and the conductor is still off route.”