The employees unions of the Uttarakhand Roadways are agitated on the decision of the State Government to impose Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) in the organisation.
The ESMA was recently foisted on the employees of Uttarakhand roadways in view of the Char Dham Yatra and the current tourist season. However the employee unions are taking offence on the decision and terming it draconian. These unions are also threatening agitation if the decision is not reversed soon. The ESMA prohibits strikes and work boycott in the organisation.
The General Secretary of Uttarakhand Roadways Employee Union (UREU), Ravi Pachori said that the roadways employees are demanding implementation of the provisions of VII pay commission, retirement benefit, payment of pending overtime of three years and late release of salaries by the department but their demands are consistently being ignored. He said that the real motive behind imposition of ESMA is that the employees should not raise their genuine demands.
Another union of employees, the Uttarakhand Roadway Karamchari Sanyukt Parishad (URKSP) has also expressed its resentment on the imposition of the
ESMA. The general secretary of the biggest union of drivers and conductors the Uttarakhand Roadways Karamchari Union (URKU) Ashok Choudhary said that the employees are against imposition of ESMA and its opposition at every level would be done. The MD of Uttarakhand Roadways B K Sant said that decision to impose ESMA was taken in view of ongoing Char Dham yatra.