Haroli/Una, March 25 (Rajveer Chopra):— Resentment is brewing among outsourced employees following the absence of any concrete provisions for them in the budget presented by the Himachal Pradesh government. Addressing this issue, outsourced employees working across various departments, boards, and corporations throughout the state convened a meeting at the Bilaspur Rest House to formulate their future strategy.
A joint meeting was organized, during which key decisions were taken.
Employees and representatives from various departments—including the Electricity Board Outsourced Employees Union—participated in the meeting. During the session, detailed discussions were held regarding the exploitation of employees, meager wages, job insecurity, and other pending demands.
Union Convener Ashwani Sharma and Co-convener Sohan Lal Tulia stated that the state's outsourced employees had harbored high expectations from the government, but their neglect in the budget has led to growing disappointment. They warned that if the government fails to make a positive announcement in the interest of the employees, outsourced workers and their representatives from across the state will gather in Shimla on March 27 to stage a massive protest.
They highlighted that the current situation of outsourced employees is extremely concerning. Many employees have been rendering their services for the past 10 to 15 years, yet they receive a monthly salary of merely ?10,000 to ?12,000. Furthermore, despite having served for such a long duration, there is absolutely no assurance regarding their future or job security.
During the meeting, a unanimous decision was reached to prioritize two key demands before the government: job security and "equal pay for equal work."
Convener Ashwani Sharma affirmed that the union would remain united and continue its struggle to secure its rights, while also demanding that the government formulate a comprehensive policy for outsourced employees without delay. He further pointed out that many employees have now crossed the age of 45; therefore, the government must take immediate, concrete decisions to provide them with much-needed relief. 
State President Ashwani Sharma states that, on March 27, we will present our demands before the incumbent government in Shimla, urging them to formulate a concrete policy for all outsourced employees across Himachal Pradesh.