Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, September 8
The strike by contractual employees of the Punjab Roadways will continue as a meeting between the protesters and top government officials at the Punjab Civil Secretariat remained inconclusive on Wednesday.
After an over two-hour-long meeting, the employee union leaders said they were told the government was coming up with a new policy on regularisation of contractual staff, subject to fulfillment of the laid-down criteria. They said they were not given any assurance as regards outsourced staff.
Earlier, leaders of the Roadways’ Union refused to hold any meeting with Transport Minister Razia Sultana. The employees have announced intensifying their protest.
Employees of the Punjab Roadways, PUNBUS and PRTC workers had planned to gherao the Siswan farmhouse of the Chief Minister in support of their demands on September 7. However, the protesting employees were called for a meeting. The main demand of the employees included the regularisation of their services. As many as 2,000 buses have been affected across the state due to the strike by contractual workers.
The Transport Department has directed the managements of the state transport undertakings to deploy their regular staff, currently doing desk jobs, on field duties so as to minimise the impact of the bus strike.
No headway, Punjab Roadways staff to step up agitation
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