Ferozepur 25th August:- Meeting of Punjab Roadways PUNBUS PRTC Contract Workers Union was held at Ferozepur Depot. Speaking in the meeting, State President Resham Singh Gill, Vice President Nishan Singh, Harjeet Singh, Rajinder Singh, Gaurav said that present government is proving to be failed in running Transport Department because for last three and half years not even a single new bus has been added, on contrary 5-600 buses of department have become condemned. Along with this, in timetables, dominance of private has increased. From every city, illegal buses i.e. transport mafia is running rampantly. Due to less buses of department, people are distressed. Out of buses which are present, large number of buses are standing due to tyres, spare parts, batteries etc. To get department looted, now in department, buses of private owners are also being put on government permits under kilometre scheme. Large scale outsource recruitment is being done through bribery. Contractor middleman is being allowed to loot continuously crores of rupees, whose proofs and complaints were made to Chief Minister Punjab but no action, on contrary instead of getting employees money returned, contractor has been paid. Government is continuously doing high-handedness with employees of Transport. When any strike dharna protest happens then big big statements come from Transport Minister or Government that policies have to be made by government and IAS officers, not by drivers conductors, but for last 20-22 years employees have been kept on outsource contract, no policy or law has been made by these officers, which means as per statements of ministers or government, loss of employees and departments is being caused by officers because solution is not being found by officers in time.
Depot President Jatinder Singh, Cashier Ajay Kumar said that raw employees of PUNBUS PRTC are being made to work continuously at low salaries for last 17-18 years on outsource and for 11 years on contract. In 2014, test was taken in Punjab University Chandigarh and recruitment was done on contract on basis of merit list. For regularizing those employees, earlier excuse of 10 years was made, now after 11 years, by making excuse of hurdle from Personnel Finance Department, exploitation of employees is being done, while it has been clarified by employees that crores of rupees are being earned by employees of Transport Department, there is no financial expenditure of them, due to transparent recruitment there is no legal hurdle. Apart from this, in past to suppress employees, FIRs like 307 were registered and accepted demands have not been implemented till now. Therefore, in strike done by Union in past days, 10 days time was sought by Transport Minister Punjab, but after meeting of 17th August, time till 26th August has again been sought.
In such situation, tomorrow i.e. 26th August there is meeting with Transport/Finance Minister Punjab. If tomorrow the above demands - regularizing raw employees, throwing out contractor middleman, cancelling illegal FIRs, implementing equal work equal pay and solution of accepted demands is not found, then immediately indefinite strike including sharp actions will be taken, responsibility of which will be of Punjab Government and officers of Transport Department.