Truck operators to intensify stir against plan to disband unions

PNS n  

Peeved over Punjab Government’s move to disband track unions, the State’s truck operators on Wednesday announced to intensify their State-wide protest against the decision.  

They have announced to organise a massive dharna on August 8 outside the offices of Deputy Commissioners in all the districts between 11 am and 3 pm. It will be followed by boycott of all government works on August 10. 

Further, a state-wide blockade of the national highways will be organised between 11 am and 3 pm on August 23.  

Congress-led Punjab government had on July 5 announced that all truck unions would be disbanded in the state.  

Taking their protest to the next level, a group of truckers on Wednesday set a goods carrier on fire in Nakodar town by the Nakodar Truck Union members, who also raised slogans against the Capt Amarinder Singh-led Congress Government. 

They announced that they would also setting five trucks on fire during its proposed demonstration on August 16 in the state.

“We have been pleading with the government for the past one month to review its decision as it has affected truckers and lakhs of people associated with the trade. We will further intensify our agitation if the Government does not listen to us,” said a member of the truck union. 

In all, there are 134 truck unions in Punjab with over 93,000 trucks. Nearly 16 lakh people are associated with the trade. “Of the 93,000 trucks, nearly 70,000 have been financed (are under loans). The government ban on truck unions has taken away our livelihood. We will set more trucks on fire and are ready to sacrifice our families,” he said. 

Following the state cabinet's decision last month, approving rules that will ban the formation of truck unions and cartels, nearly 93,000 trucks remained off the roads in Punjab on July 9. The protest strike was called for a day by the All Punjab Truck Operators' Union. 

The Government justified its ban, saying that it was aimed at ending the cartelisation of goods transport.