In a major development, Punjab Roadways-PUNBUS-PRTC strike ended on Tuesday after a marathon 7-hours long between between the Unions and Government's panel. Punjab Roadways-PUNBUS-PRTC strike started on November 28 and after 5 days of disruption in bus services, the protest have been called off.
Chaanan Singh, PRTC-PUNBUS Union President, said after a 7-hours long panel meeting with the Government, and Punjab CM Bhagwant Singh Mann's appeal to resume services for convenience of people, Punjab Roadways-PUNBUS-PRTC strike has been called off.
He further informed that employees who have been suspended by Punjab Government will be reinstated and those who are arrested under various sections including Section 307 will be freed and FIR against them will be cancelled in due course of time.
Chaanan Singh further informed that discussion on Kilometer Scheme will continue with the government. He added that the government has assured them that a issues revolving around kilometer scheme will be resolved in meeting that will be called later.
He also said that the protest took place for 5 days because discussions were going on with the government on these issues like reinstating employees, releasing arrested employees, and cancelling FIR lodged against them.
Punjab Roadways-PUNBUS-PRTC protest was going on over multiple demands. The demands of Punjab Roadways-PUNBUS-PRTC employees were- regularisation of services of 'contracted' employees, cancellation of government tenders issued to hire private buses under the kilometre scheme, the department should deploy its own buses so that drivers don't lose their jobs, and the cancelled insurance scheme for temporary employees should be reinstated.
CM Mann during a press had said-
"Look, whatever the previous government has done, its results are coming now. They made recruitments in an unplanned and temporary manner. No proper notifications were issued, no clarity on how long the employees would serve, what their salary would be, or what their duty conditions were. Maybe the previous government hired people thinking they would never return to power, so it didn’t matter how they recruited."
"I request them that the methods that harass the people are not right. Sit down at the table and talk."
