A 10-day-long impasse between Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) authorities and the protesting employee union members was finally broken on Thursday after PAU registrar appealed to union members to call off their protest.
The registrar told them that all their demands would be addressed.
RS Sidhu, registrar of PAU, issued a statement which reads: “We are continuously working on the demands of PAU Employees’ Union even when the world has come to a standstill due to the Covid-19 pandemic.”
“Some categories of employees have been promoted and some others are under the process. Under the present trying and testing times, the university is performing its research, teaching and extension with skeletal employees. It is functioning with great difficulty”, it stated.
Sidhu called upon the employees of PAU to continue working together with dedication and devotion keeping the larger interest of the farming sector and society in mind. Meanwhile, the university is working on the points raised by the Employees Union, he added.
Baldev Singh Walia, president, PAU Employees’ Union, demanded that employees working on contractual basis should be made permanent as per seniority.
{{/usCountry}}Baldev Singh Walia, president, PAU Employees’ Union, demanded that employees working on contractual basis should be made permanent as per seniority.
{{/usCountry}}He added that an old pension scheme should be implemented on the lines of Punjabi University, Patiala for the employees recruited till July 9, 2012. The grade pay of library attendant and meteorological attendant should be at par with that of the lab attendant, he said.
The promotions of JE and SDO should be done with immediate effect.The vacant posts of store keepers should be filled.
PAU Employees’ Union, PAU Teachers’ Association and PAU Class Four Workers’ Union have been staging protests at the varsity regularly since October 13.