BUS STRIKE: NO WORK, NO PAY, SAYS HARYANA GOVT
‘Chakka jam’ protest by Haryana Roadways employees, supported by several unions of other departments, enters 15th day
Toughening its stand against the striking Haryana Roadways employees, the state government on Tuesday ordered to withhold their salaries for “unauthorised absence” for nearly a fortnight. Roadways employees have been on strike since October 16 even as the government had invoked the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA). The employees are protesting against induction of 700 private buses, which they allege is a step towards privatisation of the department and would benefit a chosen few.
Toughening its stand against the striking Haryana Roadways employees, the state government on Tuesday ordered to withhold their salaries for “unauthorised absence” for nearly a fortnight.
Roadways employees have been on strike since October 16 even as the government had invoked the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA).
The employees are protesting against induction of 700 private buses, which they allege is a step towards privatisation of the department and would benefit a chosen few. The government refutes the allegation, saying the move is in favour of employees and the people of the state.
In its order issued on Tuesday, the government said that since roadways employees are on strike and “unauthorised absence,” their salaries should not be released till further orders.
Meanwhile, there were conflicting claims by the government functionaries and union leaders about the success of the strike by the roadways employees and over 40 supporting employees unions under banner of Haryana Sarvkarmchari Sangh and Sarvkarmchari Mahasangh.
Though union leaders claimed that over two lakh employees observed strike in almost all government and semigovernment departments, an official said that there was hardly any impact of the strike in the functioning of any department as over 1.22 lakh employees had marked their biometric attendance, which was usual daily attendance on normal days.
TALKS LIKELY TODAY
Meanwhile, the third round of talks between the government and employees’ leaders are likely to be held on Wednesday.
Top officials said leaders of the striking unions have been invited for talks once again, though the latter said they would take a call on the renewed offer of negotiations after holding a meeting among themselves on Wednesday.
The previous two rounds of talks held in the past few days had failed with both – union leaders and government – sticking to their respective stands.
NO MAJOR IMPACT IN ROHTAK
Meanwhile, the strike had no major impact in Rohtak, Jhajjar and Sonepat districts with no services witnessing any major hit in the area. The employees of various government services joined the protest and raised slogans against the government. They also observed a one-hour token strike in support of roadways employees.
ESMA FOR HEALTH WORKERS
Meanwhile, to prevent any snarls in emergency services, the state governor on Tuesday invoked ESMA against strike of any medical workers at the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences in Rohtak and other government-run hospitals.
MIXED RESPONSE IN HISAR
The strike by roadways employees as well as the supporting unions evoked mixed response in Hisar. Though over 100 protesters made a futile bid to burn an effigy of the government, the police foiled their bid.
While brief electricity cuts were witnessed in Hisar city, some of the colonies witnessed little water shortage though the sanitation service in the city was badly hit since the past two days.
THIRD ROUND OF TALKS BETWEEN UNION LEADERS AND GOVT LIKELY TODAY