Punjab Roadways, Pepsu contract employees call off strike after govt assurance

Chandigarh (Punjab) [India], September 21 : After Punjab Roadways, Punbus and the Pepsu Road Transportation Corporation on Wednesday went on an indefinite strike to pressure the state government to accept their demands, Punjab Transport Minister Laljit Singh Bhullar agreed to implement a five per cent hike in the pay of contractual employees.
The contractual employees of the Punjab Roadways and the PRTC called off their strike following a meeting with the state's transport minister on Wednesday.
While talking to the media, the Transport Minister said, "The demands placed by the contractual employees will be fulfilled by us within a month."
He requested the employees to settle their demands through mutual agreement and negotiation without any delay and said that their demands would be fulfilled by the Punjab government as soon as possible.
After the meeting, Bhullar said that an agreement was made to implement a 5 per cent salary hike, and orders were issued to reinstate the dismissed employees in 15 days.
"A meeting will be held with the Chief Minister on September 29. The decision was taken to end the strike with immediate effect. There is no recommendation to appoint an outsourced employee," said Bhullar.
After the employees went on an indefinite strike to press the state government to accept their demands. The strike left many passengers stranded at various bus stands, including Fazilka, Ludhiana, Moga, Hoshiarpur and Kapurthala.
Vice-president of the Punjab Roadways, Punbus and PRTC Contract Workers' Union Baljit Singh, said the protest was against the non-implementation of the promised five per cent annual increase in salaries and other demands.
Singh said that they were assured a pay hike during the meeting with Minister Bhullar.
The protesting employees held demonstrations at all 27 bus depots in the state.