Roadways employees demand regularisation

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, May 21

Employees of the Punjab Roadways staged a protest rally at the workshop of the Ludhiana bus stand on Monday.

The rally was organised on a call given by the Joint Action Committee of Punjab Roadways Employees’ Union in support of various long-pending demands. A large number of roadways employees took part in the gate rally and raised slogans against the “anti-employee” policies of the state government and the management of the Punjab Roadways.

Speaking during the occasion, Punjab Roadways Employees’ Union Chairman Makhan Singh said the state government had failed to fulfil various demands of employees. He warned that the employees would sharpen their struggle if their demands were not met soon. “Ahead of the Assembly elections, Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh had assured the contractual employees that their services will be regularised and more driver and conductors will be recruited in the department, but none of these demands have been met so far,” said Makhan Singh.

“The state government has backtracked from its promise of increasing the fleet of Punjab Roadways buses. Besides this, workers offering their services under the contractual system are being exploited and their services are not being regularised despite repeated demands,” said Manjit Singh Gill, state Vice-President, Punjab Government Transport Workers’ Union.

The union leaders also expressed their anguish over the failure of the state government in implementing ‘equal work equal pay’ decision of the Supreme Court. Other demands of the protesting employees included giving promotions to deserving employees, recruiting new employees, banning private buses plying illegally without permits and to do away with the system of imposing accident claims on bus drivers. Drivers’ Union activist Balvir Singh, Conductor Workers’ Union activist Satnam Singh, Satwinder Singh, Kuljit Singh, Gurmail Singh and others addressed the protesting roadways employees.

‘Chakka jam’ on Wednesday 

The protesting Punjab Roadways employees declared to observe a state-level strike on May 23 (Wednesday) to press the state government for meeting their demands. “We will observe a chakka jam on May 23 to press the state government. No Punjab Roadways bus will ply on any route on Wednesday,” said Makhan Singh.