Contract workers go on mass leave

Jalandhar, November 16

Members of the Theka Mulazim Sangharsh Morcha, Punjab, went on two-day mass leave here from Tuesday. Members of contractual worker unions of the state under the banner of the Theka Mulazim Sangharsh Morcha Punjab also wrote to the state CM that they would proceed on mass leave on these two days in protest against non-fulfilment of their various demands.

They said this was being done as several calls for meetings sent by the CM’s office which were not honoured. They said they along with their families would take part in the protest.

The contractual workers unions, which will be part of the protest, are: Jal Supply and Sanitation Contract Workers; GHTP Theka Mulazim Union; PSPCL and PSTCL Contractual Workers’ Union Punjab; Punjab Water Supply and Sewerage Board Employees’ Contract Workers and Labour Union; Powercom and Transco Contractual Workers’ Union; Outsourcing Employees’ Union; Sanjha Manch Therman Contract Workers’ Union Ropar; Verka Milk and Cattlefeed Plant Contractual Employees’ Union Punjab; Health Department Outsource Employees’ Union Punjab and PWD Emectricals Outsource Employees’ Union Punjab.

The key demands of the unions included driving corporate houses and private firms out of government departments and establishments; services of contractual and outsourced workers be regularised; permanent employment be provided in areas where permanent work was required and outsourced, contractual recruitments in these areas be stopped; Jal Supply and Sanitation employees be mergred with parents departments; implementation of minimum wages rule be ensured and salaries/ allowances be paid accordingly to contractual/outsourced employees; before making regular staff recruitments from outside, first regularise existing contractual workers; promotions for contractual workers after 5, 10, 15 years period on the lines of other employees, etc.

Union members alleged a proposal for their demands to be discussed with the CM, sent on April 3 had been responded to by the CM’s office and the CM’s office responded with a call for a meeting on April 7. They said, however, the meeting could not take place when they turned up on the said date. They were intimated that the CM could not be able to hold the meeting due to some other previous engagements. After waiting for two weeks, memorandums were sent to the CM’s office again through (memorandums previously submitted to MLAs and ministers) on April 22, and a protest call was sent to the office on May 27.

Following which another scheduled meet with the CM on June 28 could also not be held.