TALKS FAIL, STRIKE BY HRY ROADWAYS STAFF TO GO ON
Haryana Karamchari Mahasangh, an umbrella organisation of over 40 unions with nearly 2 lakh registered employees, to join strike from today
The Haryana Roadways employees union on Sunday refused to call off its six-day-old ‘chakka jam’ agitation after its talks with the state government here failed. Haryana Karamchari Mahasangh, an umbrella organisation of over 40 unions with nearly 2 lakh registered employees, has also decided to go on strike from Monday.
CHANDIGARH:The Haryana Roadways employees union on Sunday refused to call off its six-dayold ‘chakka jam’ agitation after its talks with the state government functionaries here failed to iron out differences over hiring private buses.
The ongoing stir being led by 12-member coordination committee of six unions of roadways employees received a major boost on Sunday night when Haryana Karamchari Mahasangh, an umbrella organisation of over 40 unions with nearly 2 lakh registered employees, decided to go on strike from Sunday midnight.
The Mahasangh wields influence over employees in important departments such as power, health, public health, education, boards, corporations and universities.
The Mahasangh’s call to go on strike in support of roadways employees demands, if becomes a reality, will be a major administrative and political challenge for the Manohar Lal Khattar-led BJP government.
“We have given a call to the 42 unions of the Mahasangh to go on strike from Sunday midnight in support of the ongoing stir of the roadways employees,” Vishwanath Sharma, president of the Mahasangh said.
The Mahasangh’s move is a clear attempt to mount pressure on the Khattar government to accept the roadways employees’ demands as it came shortly after the government’s talks with the coordination committee failed to break the impasse.
Transport department employees have been on strike since October 16 against the state government’s move to hire 720 private buses under the kilometre scheme. They allege grouse that hiring private buses is a first step towards privatisation of the transport department. But the state government has dismissed these allegations as baseless.
In a bid to allay the apprehension of the striking roadways employees, the government has been saying that these buses will have conductors from the transport department and that this doesn’t amount to privatisation.
Rajesh Khullar, principal secretary to CM, chaired the talks and held three rounds of parleys with the union leaders. The logjam continued even as the talks that began at 2.30pm continued till 7pm.
GOVT REJECTS KEY DEMAND OF EMPLOYEES
The negotiations derailed as the government refused to accept the key demand of the agitating employees who wanted the government to cancel the notification under which the permits were being given to hire 720 private buses.
“The government has refused to accept our main demand to withdraw the notification pertaining to hire 720 private buses. We will call off our strike only after the state government cancels this notification. The agitation will continue and the decision to extend it further will be announced on Monday,” Deepak Balhara, deputy general secretary of the union, said.
Additional chief secretary (ACS-transport) Dhanpat Singh said the government refused to accept the demand of the employees who wanted cancellation of the contracts being allotted to the private transporters under the kilometre scheme.
He said the government had, however, offered to hold an inquiry into the matter to allay their apprehensions.
“We refused the government’s offer of inquiry into the scheme as it is a delaying tactics,” Balhara said.
POWER DEPARTMENT EMPLOYEES THREATEN TO GO ON STRIKE
In view of the power department employees’ threat to go on strike from Sunday midnight, the department has deputed engineers at various sub-stations.
“We have also ordered that contractual staff will deal with the complaints, while the engineers have already been deputed at the sub stations,” PK Das, ACS (power) said.
Chief minister Khattar on Saturday had invited the agitating roadway union leaders for talks who have been on strike since October 16, causing huge losses to the transport department and giving commuters in the region a harrowing time.