People faced inconvenience at many places in Punjab on Saturday due to a strike called by contractual employees of a government transport undertaking to press for various demands.
The protesting employees claimed that over 2,000 buses of the government's undertaking PUNBUS were off the roads at various bus depots during the state-wide protest. The protest affected passengers at various places in the state, including Ludhiana, Moga, Amritsar and Ferozepur.
Some passengers said they had to opt for private buses or taxis to reach their destination. The employees are protesting against the outsourcing of 28 posts of drivers. Their demands include cancellation of recruitment through outsourcing and formation of a better hiring policy for the department.
An employee union leader in Ludhiana said the next decision on the strike will be taken after a meeting with the government slated in Chandigarh on Monday. In Amritsar, vice-president of the protesting employees union Jodh Singh said buses would remain off the roads till their demands are met. He said their demands also include immediate payment of the promised five per cent hike to temporary workers.
