Tribune News Service
Ludhiana, July 7

Following a call given by the PWD Field and Workshop Workers Union, Punjab, against the 6th Pay Commission and service rules, the employees of the Department of Water Supply and Sanitation staged a protest outside their office in Ludhiana today. The employees burnt the effigy of the Punjab Government and Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal to express their anger. They were demanding an improved pay scale and a hike in allowances.

Union president Harpreet Singh Grewal, who was leading the protest, said the government had deceived the employees of Department of Water Supply and Sanitation, Water Supply & Sewerage Board and Irrigation Department as the pay commission was not benefitting them. The contractual employees were being given very low salaries and their jobs were not being regularised. They also demanded a pension scheme for PWSSB employees

The protesters members, including Sikandar Singh and Ranbir Singh Toose, said there were many flaws in the 6th Pay Commission report.

Ranbir Singh said, “The government had earlier increased the pay scales of the employees of 29 categories but the field employees of the Department of Water Supply and Sanitation were ignored. We were promised that our pay scales will be hiked whenever the 6th Pay Commission is implemented. Now, we are feeling cheated as the government ignored us once again. Moreover, the government is ending the allowances instead of hiking them”.

The protesters said employees from across the state would gather in Patiala on July 13 and gherao the Moti Mehal to mark their protest. If their voice is not heard, they would stop all water supply services on July 20, they added.

PSMSU employees hold bike rally

To lodge their protest against the 6th Pay Commission, the members of the Punjab State Ministerial Services Union (PSMSU), Ludhiana, organised a bike rally on Wednesday. They displayed black flags to express their anger.

The bike rally passed through Fountain Chowk, Rani Jhansi Road, Bhai Bala Chowk and ended at the DC’s office. It was led by the senior leaders of the union Ranjit Singh Jassal and Sanjeev Bhargav.

They said the employees were not satisfied with the recommendations of the pay commission. They wanted a hike in their pay scale and allowances and restoration of the old pension scheme.

Sanjeev Bhargav said the government should make required amendments in the pay commission report as per the demands of the employees. If their demands are not met, the Congress government would have to face adverse consequences in the upcoming Assembly Elections, he added.