Office goers caught unawares as PMPML workers call sudden strike

The strike was called by Shiv Sena leader Pramod Bhangire for payment of arrears as per the seventh pay commission to all workers, regularisation of temporary workers whose service is above six years, and criteria-based promotions

A sudden strike called by Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Limited (PMPML) workers since Monday morning affected nearly 150 bus operations in the city and inconvenienced commuters and office goers no end. The strike – held mostly at the Hadapsar bus depot – was called off at around 3 pm after the PMPML administration assured the protesters that their demands would be fulfilled.

At around 3 pm, the strike was called off after the PMPML administration gave an assurance letter to the protesting workers about their demands. (HT PHOTO)

The strike was called by Shiv Sena leader Pramod Bhangire for payment of arrears as per the seventh pay commission to all workers, regularisation of temporary workers whose service is above six years, and criteria-based promotions. At around 3 pm, the strike was called off after the PMPML administration gave an assurance letter to the protesting workers about their demands.

Bhangire said, “We have formed a committee of all the workers’ unions of the PMPML and accordingly, a letter of our demands was given to the administration on July 22. A warning was sounded that if the demands are not heard, operations of all 15 bus depots will close down and workers will go on strike. Today, we called the strike since morning and after the assurance given by the officials, it has been temporarily put on hold.”

Meanwhile, commuters had to bear the brunt of the strike during morning peak hours. Archana P, a commuter, said, “I travel daily from Hadapsar to Deccan Gymkhana for my job but today morning as the buses were not running, I reached work late. On top of that, I had to pay ₹230 for a private auto-rickshaw…”

On his part, Satish Ghate, PMPML spokesperson, said, “There was a sudden strike called by the workers’ unions today morning and it did affect our bus operations as around 150 buses did not run as part of the morning session. An assurance letter was given to the union leaders who were on strike after which they called off the strike and bus operations resumed in the afternoon.”