Denied meeting with Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann, bus staff threaten 3-day strike

Aman Sood

Patiala, February 8

Commuters using government buses to reach their destinations could be in for a major trouble starting next week after the contractual staff of various employees unions have decided to go on strike. Denied a meeting with the Chief Minister today, the PRTC/Punbus and Punjab Roadways Contract Workers Union today announced to go on a three-day strike from next week and also refused to ferry workers for AAP’s proposed rallies in Khadoor Sahib and Khanna.

The union members allege that that they initially were told that they could meet the CM on February 1 but later they were intimated in writing that they could meet him on February 8. “However, today morning as we reached Chandigarh, we were told that the meeting had been cancelled. We have decided to go on strike and also continue not to ferry more than the 52 passengers in a bus,” said the union members.

AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal along with the CM Bhagwant Mann are slated to conduct two rallies in Punjab on February 10 and 11. “We will not allow them to use any government bus for the rally and not a single member of our union will run those buses for the political rallies. About 85 per cent of the drivers and conductors with the PRTC, Punbus and Punjab Roadways are our members,” said state president of the PRTC/Punbus and Punjab Roadways Contract Workers Union Resham Singh.

Sharing further details, state president of the PRTC Contractual Employees Union Harkesh Vicky said their main demands were that contractual employees be confirmed and the government should add more buses to its fleet.

The union members have decided to go on strike for three days, starting February 13. “If the government still fails to resolve our issues, we will go on an indefinite strike,” said the union members.

PRTC Chairman Ranjodh Singh Hadana said that talks were on with the protesting union members and today senior officers were in Chandigarh to meet them but the union members wanted to meet the CM only .“I will talk to the protesting union members and we will find a solution to this. I will meet them tomorrow and resolve the issues,” he stated.