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Tribune News Service
Bathinda, July 12
Demanding the release of salaries pending for the past two months, members of the Powercom Contractual Workers’ Union staged a protest in front of the powercom office (south division) in Goniana Mandi on Friday.
The union members alleged that contractor of a Ferozepur-based private firm, who has been given contract for the division, has not been releasing their salaries on time. The demonstrators burnt effigy of firm’s contractor.
Protesters gathered outside the main entrance of the division office and raised slogans against powercom officials, contractor of the firm and the state government for not fulfilling their long pending demands.
Janak Singh, secretary of the union, said, “Despite performing our duties diligently, we have not been getting salaries for the past two months. Our salaries are already low and even if these are not released on time, how will we bear our household expenses? Apart from the salary, we also demand insurance for all contractual workers. The firm’s contractor does not provide us with required tools, equipment and protection gears. We were not even provided identity cards. If any of us gets injured, the department does not bother to bear medical expenses.”
Singh added, “We have staged a protest at Goniana today, but if our demands are not fulfilled by the government, we will hold a district-level protest at powercom district head office in Bathinda on July 16 and July 17.”
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