Chandigarh :
The Joint Employee Front has urged the Chandigarh administration to immediately reinstate 142 outsourced CTU drivers and conductors who were relieved or terminated recently, appealing to regular CTU unions to support the cause.
In November, CTU administration decommissioned around 85 buses at Depot No. 4, relieving 142 outsourced drivers. While assurances were given by CTU Director Pradumn Singh and General Manager that drivers would return to duty with the arrival of new electric buses, conductors working on older buses were transferred to other depots. However, in December, the administration refused to assign duties to relieved drivers, leaving the union with no alternative to save their jobs.
When the CTU Contract Workers Union decided to hold a peaceful protest, the administration used ESMA on November 18 to terminate hundreds of drivers and conductors participating in the demonstration.
Balraj Dahiya, president of the CTU Contract Workers Union, appealed to all active employee unions and federations in Chandigarh for support. Following this, the UT SS Federation, led by Ranjit Mishra, extended help to the outsourced staff.
A joint meeting of employee unions, including the Federation of UT & MC Employees, Joint Action Committee of UT & MC Employees, Joint Employees Welfare Association Chandigarh, and others, expressed solidarity. Convener Gopal Datt Joshi condemned the administration’s actions and appealed for immediate reinstatement of the removed outsourced drivers and conductors, while also urging regular unions to support them.
Another convener, Sukhbir Singh, announced that the Joint Employee Front will hold a convention on December 16 at Bhakna Bhawan to address these issues, discuss demands of regular, contract, and outsourced employees, and announce a long-term struggle plan.
The Front has received unanimous support from other unions and federations for reinstatement of the removed and terminated CTU staff and for backing the union in ongoing struggles
Contacts
Gopal Datt Joshi, Convener: 805-402-1012
Sukhbir Singh, Convener: 730-712-5666
Joint Employee Front, UT & MC Chandigarh
