Roadways contractual workers oppose hiring on July 9

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, July 7

Declaring the scheduled meeting of the Transport Minister with Punjab Roadways/Punbus Contractual Workers Union and recruitment of workers on outsource basis on the same day as duplicitous, union members today announced that if any worker was hired on July 9 then they would again launch a state-level strike against the Transport Department.

In a circular issued to mediapersons, Resham Singh Gill, a union leader, said Transport Department officials were merely mocking at the serious issues raised by them.

“Previously, during the three-day strike (from July 2-4), contractual workers across all the Roadways depots in the state had condemned the recruitment of workers on outsource basis, however, we didn’t intensify the strike due to the assurance by the Transport Minister that she would conduct a meeting with union workers on July 9 to solve the issue. On the contrary, under the shadow of the department officials, the contractors have decided to hire 500 conductors and 500 drivers on outsource basis in Amritsar on the same day, which is reflecting the double face of the minister,” Gill added.

Jasbir Singh, district secretary of the union, mentioned that the contractor — Datar Security Service — has been playing with the future of youths by employing them through outsource basis.

The youths were being misled by the contractors that they would be upgraded to contractual workers after three years, he said, adding that Rs 10,000 as security would also be charged from them. Hence, this was completely illegal to recruit workers as no written test or interview of driving examination would be conducted, he said.