Hoshiarpur, Jun 10 (PTI) Bus services by state-owned undertakings were affected at many places in Punjab on Wednesday after contractual employees went on a strike to press their various demands, causing inconvenience to commuters.
However, the strike was later suspended after a meeting between the protesting employees and the representatives of the transport department.
The strike call was given by the Punjab Roadways, Punbus and PRTC Contract Workers Union (Punjab) to press the state government to accept their demands, including withdrawal of cases against some contractual employees and regularisation of services.
The strike launched on Tuesday afternoon disrupted government-run bus services and caused inconvenience to commuters, particularly
those travelling on long-distance routes across the state.
Union member Kulwant Singh said the decision to suspend the strike was taken after a meeting between the union representatives and senior transport officials, including the principal secretary and the state transport director.
According to the union, detailed discussions were held on the demands and the agitation was postponed after the government gave written assurances on several issues.
The employees were subsequently asked to resume bus services immediately.
The union said the government agreed to initiate the process for withdrawal of cases registered against workers during previous agitations and to forward the matter to the home department within three days.
It claimed there was an agreement in principle on the withdrawal of cases.
The union also said the government agreed to prepare and forward a proposal regarding the regularisation of contractual employees to the personnel department.
Vacant posts in the transport department would be filled as per service rules, it said.
According to the union, the government also agreed to examine the case of outsourced employees with three years of service for conversion to contractual status.
The issues relating to regularisation and outsourcing workers have been proposed to be addressed within a month, it added.
The union said the government reiterated its commitment to augmenting the fleet of state-owned buses and indicated that new buses would begin joining the fleet within the next month.
It also claimed that no action beyond the process already undertaken would be taken with regard to kilometre-scheme buses, citing pending court proceedings related to the matter.
Singh claimed the transport department provided written assurances on the issues raised by the employees and undertook the responsibility to resolve them.
The union also said that issues relating to the reinstatement of contractual employees and amendments to certain service conditions would be taken up in a departmental meeting with the Punjab transport minister within the next two to four days, following which appropriate orders would be issued.
However, Singh said the union would resume its agitation if the government or the management failed to honour the commitments made during the talks. PTI COR CHS ARI
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