Contractual employees protest for regular jobs, pay hike

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, December 9

Members of Maan Bhatta Te Contractual Employees Front today held a huge rally at the local Desh Bhagat Yadgaar Hall here today. Employees of the ASHA, Forest Department, mid-day meal workers and others participated in large numbers over the non-fulfillment of their demands.

Addressing the gathering, Paramjit Kaur Mann, Mamta Sharma, Balbir Singh Sivian and Baljinder Singh said the the workers of ASHA, mid-day meal and sweepers were getting a meagre pay. “Employees, who have worked for over 20 years, are still contractual,” they said.

Bhupinder Singh Waraich, president, Democratic Employees Federation, along with Germanjit Singh, Harinder Dosanjh, Aamrjit Shastri and Devinder Singh Punia said the previous Badal government had released a notification regarding the regularisation of 17,000 contractual employees, but the current government led by the Congress was planning to roll back the aforesaid decision.

The protesters said ASHA workers should get at least Rs 18,000 as salary while others should be paid Rs 8,403 per month. They also demanded regular jobs for those who had been working for over three years.

They also opposed the state government’s decision to close 800 primary schools. According to protesters, the government should open more schools but it was planning to close down the existing ones.