Punjab protests continue as talks fail, transport workers extend strike

Hyderabad: Punjab government employees continued their protest on Thursday after talks with the state government failed to resolve their pending demands, while more than three lakh employees participated in a mass casual leave agitation. Separately, the Punjab Roadways, PUNBUS and PRTC Contract Workers’ Union extended its statewide strike indefinitely, disrupting bus services across the state.

The latest round of negotiations took place after the government released the minutes of an earlier meeting with Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, meeting a key demand raised by employee unions. Representatives met Chief Secretary KAP Sinha at 4 pm on Wednesday, but discussions lasting nearly two hours ended without an agreement. 

Sukhchain Singh Khaira, coordinator of the Joint Action Committee leading the agitation, said the absence of employees had affected work in government offices, including directorates. Sahil Sharma, general secretary of the Punjab Civil Secretariat Employees Union, accused the government of delaying a settlement by asking unions to repeat demands that had already been discussed.

A 39-member delegation representing employees and pensioners subsequently held discussions with officials but said it had received no clear assurances on several issues. According to the delegation, the government clarified that teachers described as regularised had only been granted “security of tenure” and would not receive the financial benefits available to regular employees. It also said officials had presented no roadmap for Anganwadi, ASHA and mid-day meal workers. 

The unions will decide their next course of action at a meeting in Ludhiana on October 25. Their demands include the release of pending dearness allowance (DA) instalments and arrears, restoration of the Old Pension Scheme (OPS), regularisation of contractual employees, pension revision and reinstatement of 37 discontinued allowances. They have also sought restoration of the cashless health scheme and withdrawal of notifications imposing central pay scales and a three-year probation period.

The dispute persists despite a September 18 meeting between Mann and employee and pensioner representatives. At the time, the chief minister announced an 8% DA increase in two instalments of 4% each, effective from October 1, and promised regular monthly meetings. 

Transport workers’ strike continues indefinitely

The transport workers’ union extended its statewide strike after talks with a cabinet minister failed to resolve demands concerning employment security and pending cases. Workers are seeking regularisation under service rules, direct departmental contracts for outsourced employees and withdrawal of police cases registered in connection with previous protests. 

Union general secretary Shamsher Singh said proposals affecting around 1,400 outsourced Punjab Roadways employees and more than 1,700 PRTC workers remained pending. He said a government letter issued on September 21 had set a one-month deadline for shifting workers from outsourcing agencies to direct contracts, but the deadline passed without implementation. A proposal to withdraw police cases had also been sent to the Punjab Director General of Police, he added, but no further action had followed despite workers obtaining bail.

As part of the agitation, the union plans to hold a joint demonstration with Theka Mulazam Sangharsh Morcha in Dirba, the constituency of Transport and Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema. Workers from all 27 depots and two sub-depots plan to gather in Mohali before marching towards Punjab Vidhan Sabha and the chief minister’s official residence.