Roadways buses will operate normally on Monday after contractual workers of the Punjab Roadways, Punbus and PRTC postponed their three-day strike scheduled to begin on November 16.
The decision followed written assurances from the state Transport Department, assuring them to address their regularisation demand and a fresh meeting with Transport Minister Harpal Cheema on November 17.
The strike call had been given by the Punjab Roadways, Punbus and PRTC Contract Workers Union, looking for regularisation of nearly 7,000 contractual workers under service regulations, bringing of outsourced workers on direct contract with the department and the withdrawal of FIRs registered against workers following a protest in Sangrur in December last year.
Yet, a letter was issued by the department on November 13, assuring the union that the process of bringing outsourced staff on contract would be taken forward. The proposal has been sent to the Personnel Department for approval, after which the process of issuing appointment letters will commence.
The department also agreed to examine appeals of outsourced staff whose cases could not be considered at the depot levels, including those who faced termination in service due to administrative reasons. A committee will hear their cases.
The union remarked it had resolved to postpone its strike until the outcome of the November 17 meeting. Its next course of action will depend on the government's response to its demands.
The development comes weeks after a four-day strike by the workers from October 21 to 24 disrupted public transport across Punjab. In Jalandhar alone, around 158 buses stayed off the roads during the agitation, affecting commuters.
With the latest strike deferred, passengers can anticipate usual government bus services on Monday. However, the continuation of usual services beyond that will depend on the outcome of the November 17 meeting, as the workers are yet to withdraw their protest call permanently.
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Assurance from dept
The decision followed written assurances from the state Transport Department, assuring the union to address their regularisation demand and a fresh meeting with Transport Minister Harpal Cheema on November 17.
