Contractual bus staff continue protest

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, May 19

The government bus service was hit on several routes as members of the Punjab Roadways, PUNBUS and PRTC Contract Workers Union, Punjab, continued their strike on Thursday. Over 100 government buses were not run on roads by the contractual employees due to which the Transport Department also suffered financial losses.

To mark their protest against the management concerned, the contractual employees union had closed the gate of Roadways Depot here on Wednesday afternoon. The gate was kept closed on Thursday too. The employees are demanding from the state government to regularise their jobs but their demand has not been met yet.

The contractual workers accused senior officials of the Transport Department of adopting a dictatorial attitude against the employees. They said the employees were being dismissed on the basis of wrong reports.

The protesting employees said they had never been promoted and regularised during the past 15 years of their service. But, they were being exploited by the senior officials.

Local Depot president of the union Satnam Singh said if their issues were not resolved, they would intensify their agitation. The workers had threatened to gherao the Transport Director and the Secretary, if their demands were not met.

Notably, the regular government employees performed their duty and run buses. Private buses were also plying as usual.

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