No end in sight: Roadways staff take out protest march on Day 8

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, September 13

The indefinite strike by Punbus and PRTC Contractual Workers Union Punjab entered its eighth day on Monday. Contractual and outsourced workers of the union today organised a protest march on the city roads, demanding immediate attention for their demands. The workers also accused the government of issuing notices to all employees through the depot manager that the strike was illegal, sending recovery notices and termination letters to the employees participating in the strike.

Though the management and the government are holding talks and meetings to bring the striking workers back to duty, the written notice regarding the strike was given 40 days ago by the union to the transport minister, transport secretary, DST Punjab.

Several meetings with MD, PRTC, have been conducted. Now, the government should make alternate arrangements, the Theka Mulazim Workers Union added.

District president of the union Gurpreet Singh and chairman Jasbir Singh said instead of complying with our demands, the government and management were trying to end the strike by pressurising the workers.

Union General Secretary Chanan Singh said until their demands were accepted the strike would be continued.

“Following the orders of the state committee of the contractual workers, a sit-in dharna was held on Sunday in front of the residence of MLA Pargat Singh. Today, we have organised protest marches across all the districts. The workers raised their demands such as 10,000 government buses, regularisation of contractual employees, reinstatement of retired workers among others. All depots except the ones attending the meeting on the September 14 will stage a massive protest in their respective districts. If the meeting again remains unfruitful, National Highways will be blocked on Wednesday,” added Gurpreet Singh.