More than two lakh employees of Haryana Government will go on two-day strike from Tuesday, which may cripple essential services of power, sanitation, health, transport among others in the state.
Peeved over the Manohar Lal Khattar Government’s lackadaisical attitude towards their demands, the disgruntled government employees’ unions have decided to take part in the nationwide strike on January 8 and 9 called by central trade unions against the “anti-workers” policies of BJP government.
In view of the strike, the public transport services across Haryana would also be affected for two days as more than 4000 buses are likely to remain off the roads.
The State Government has directed all Head of Departments and all deputy commissioners to monitor the situation and submit report of absentees on Tuesday in view of the strike.
“More than two lakh government employees will observe two days strike in Haryana as a part of nationwide strike call given by trade unions. Employees of Departments including Power Nigams, Roadways, Municipal, Forest, Public Health & Irrigation, Health among others will participate in the strike. Lakhs of workers from unorganized sectors will also join the strike,” said SK Lamba, general secretary, Haryana Sarv Karmchari Sangh while talking to The Pioneer.
In Haryana, the employees will observe the strike against the ongoing privatization in various departments and over their pending demands, he said.
Lamba said, “Our demands include regularization of contractual employees, equal pay for equal work, minimum wage of Rs 18000 per month , old pension scheme, increase in house rent allowance, strict enforcement of labour laws and end to their dilution, recruitment to over lakhs of vacant posts in various government departments.”
Criticizing the BJP led Haryana Government, the union leader said that the BJP had made several promises to the employees during 2014 assembly polls, but even after four years of their tenure, they have failed to implement it.
Notably, various employees’ unions in the state are at loggerheads with Haryana Government over their pending demands.
The State Government had in the past tried to assuage the employees by giving them assurances. However, the tussle between the two sides have continued during the four years tenure of Haryana Government with employees of various departments including Health, Power, Transport, Education among others holding protests time and again in the state.
With roadways employees joining the two-day protest from Tuesday, lakhs of commuters are also likely to face a hard time across Haryana. The state roadways has a fleet of more than 4000 buses in which nearly 12 lakh passengers travel daily.
Earlier, the roadways employees had held longest ever strike for 18 days against State Government’s decision to hire 700 private buses.
Sarbat Punia, general secretary, Haryana Roadways Workers Union said that around 4000 buses will remain off the roads for two days in view of nationwide strike.
Punia alleged that the State Government has failed to fulfil its promises and continues to implement anti-employee policies.
“We have been demanding withdrawal of decision of hiring 700 private buses, continuation of night halt of buses at rural areas, regularization of contractual employees, permanent recruitment to vacant posts” he added.
Meanwhile, the Haryana Government has asked all Head of Departments and all deputy commissioners to submit report regarding absentees in view of the strike.
A letter sent to them from the Chief Secretary’s office stated, “Keeping in view strike called by the Haryana State Employees Unions on January 8 and 9, the situation needs to be monitored closely. No leave of any type shall be allowed.”
“Attendance register or aadhar enabled biometric attendance system would be maintained strictly by all government offices. A status report regarding absentees both regular and contractual employees related to department and district should be at 2 pm on January 8 and 9,” the letter added.