Recently, Chandigarh Administrator Gulab Chand Kataria, in a public event, had stated that the administration would consider the policies of other states regarding the security of outsourced employees, if needed.
Taking cognizance of this statement, today, under the banner of the Bhartiya Mazdoor Sangh Chandigarh, President Shri Balwinder Singh, General Secretary Shri Jaswant Singh, and In-charge Badri Prasad met with Chandigarh Administrator Shri Gulab Chand Kataria at the “Janata Darbar” to discuss job security for outsourced employees of various departments of the Chandigarh Administration and the Municipal Corporation.
The meeting specifically discussed two burning issues concerning outsourced employees.
These included the removal of 142 outsourced drivers from duty on November 18 last year due to the condemnation of 85 buses that had completed 15 years of service in the CTU department and the arrival of electric buses.
Meanwhile, the administration has imposed ESMA (Essential Services Maintenance Act) in CTU to ensure the smooth functioning of public services.
The management had assured that the 142 removed drivers would be reinstated when the new scheme started in December, but due to a misunderstanding that the administration had refused to reinstate the removed employees on December 3, other employees tried to support them on December 8, but the administration terminated 158 other outsourced employees, including 35 drivers from the kilometer scheme.
The Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS) apprised the Chandigarh Administrator of the situation, stating that outsourced employees are peacefully protesting against the termination orders of 158 employees and demanding the reinstatement of 142 dismissed employees.
In total, approximately 300 employees have been continuously struggling to save their livelihoods since December.
On another issue, the delegation demanded that the Chandigarh Administrator ensure job security for all categories of outsourced employees by bringing them directly under the administration, similar to the Haryana Kaushal Rozgar Nigam.
Earlier, last year, the Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh had also requested the Chandigarh Administrator, during a public grievance redressal session, to take cognizance of the need for recruitment under the Haryana Kaushal Rozgar Nigam for outsourced employees working in the Chandigarh Administration and Municipal Corporation.
Considering the above-mentioned situations, the Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh demanded to address the problems of outsourced employees, including the reinstatement of the 142 off routed employees, the cancellation of the termination orders of the 158 employees supporting them, and the creation of a Haryana Kaushal Rozgar Nigam-like body for outsourced employees working in various departments.
Gulab Chand Kataria, the Chandigarh Administrator, assured the delegation of positive action on these two pressing demands.
The delegation thanked the Chandigarh Administrator for listening to the public’s concerns and taking action during the public grievance redressal session.
