Those using public transport for commuting are slated for hardships as the employees of Uttarakhand State roadways would go on an indefinite strike from midnight of Monday.
On the issue of outsourcing agencies in the State roadways, the employees belonging to the Uttaranchal Roadways Employees Union (UREU) are up in arms against the State Government. The president of UREU, HR Bahuguna told The Pioneer that about 5,000 employees belonging to the union would go on an indefinite strike from Monday midnight.
In the Uttarakhand roadways 3500 drivers and conductors were recruited by an outsourcing agency in the year 2005. This agency engaged in rampant corruption and duped the employees of their Provident Fund (PF) and Employee State Insurance (ESI). The contract of this agency was cancelled by the Transport Corporation and a FIR was also lodged against it.
The UREU insists that since there is no outsourcing agency in the corporation from December 13, 2013 and the workers are working efficiently the plan of the management to introduce a new outsourcing agency is not acceptable.
Bahuguna said that the union would oppose the plans of the corporation and would not allow any outsourcing agency to weaken an already cash strapped transport corporation.
He claimed that the indefinite strike would be suicidal for the state roadways but the union is left with no option due to the adamant attitude of the State Government.The General Secretary of the UREU Ashok Choudary said that the Managing Director of Uttarakhand roadways V K Sant has called a delegation of the union for talks on Monday afternoon.
The indefinite strike call by the UREU is sure to throw the public transport of the State out of gear but the officials posted at the Inter State Bus Terminus (ISBT) here feigned ignorance about the strike call. When contacted the Assistant General Manager (AGM) ISBT, K P Singh said that he is not aware of any strike call.