Ordinance regarding bringing outsourced employees on contract sent to Governor: Harpal Singh Cheema

Chandigarh: In a significant breakthrough in ensuring continuity of public services in Punjab, Advocate Harpal Singh Cheema, Finance Minister of the State and Chairman of the Cabinet Sub-Committee constituted to address the issues and demands of the employees, today announced that 16 unions of Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) and Aam Admi Clinic (AAC) Staff Union have officially called off their strike and the employees have returned to work.

Harpal Singh Cheema gave clarification    

He said that this decision was taken after detailed talks led by the state government during the last two days, in which important issues including accepting the major demands of the health workers and constituting a special financial committee to consider the financial demands of the power sector employees were successfully resolved.

Addressing a press conference held at Punjab Bhawan, Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema said, “After a meeting that lasted for about five hours under my chairmanship at the Patiala headquarters and a late night discussion with the unions with Power Minister Tarunpreet Singh Saund and the CMD of PSPCL, an agreement has been reached with all the 16 unions of the power sector.”

He said that the major unions which have agreed to the agreement include Technical Services Union PSEB, PSEB Employees Federation (AITUC), Ministerial Services Union PSEB (MSU), Association of Junior Engineers, PSEB Employees Federation (Bhardwaj), PSEB Thermal Employees Coordination Committee, PSEB Karmachari Dal Punjab, Employees Federation PSEB, Punjab State Bijli Mazdoor Union (BMS), Worker Federation INTUC. PSPCL/PSTCL, Employees Federation PSPCL/PSTCL (Pahlwan Group), Employees Federation PSPCL/PSTCL (Chahal Group), ITI Association, Grid Sub-Station Employees Union Punjab (Registered), Powercom and Transco Pensioners Union (AITUC), Pensioners Welfare Federation Punjab (Pahlwan) and Employees United Organization etc. All these organizations have agreed to resume normal work.

“To resolve the financial demands of the unions, the state government has constituted a special financial committee, which will submit its final report by August 15,” he said. The Finance Minister further said that the dispute related to the health sector has also been resolved after the meeting between the representatives of the Aam Aadmi Clinic (AAC) Union and the Managing Director of the National Health Mission (NHM).

“The state government has accepted the major demand of recognizing the service experience of the union employees during recruitment to regular posts, while other administrative demands are also being actively considered,” he said. The Finance Minister also mentioned the matter related to the employees of the Sanitation and Sewerage Board and said that after the discussion with him and Local Government Minister Harjot Singh Bains, the major unions concerned have also decided to withdraw their strike.

Reiterating the positive and employee-friendly approach of the state government, Harpal Singh Cheema said, “An ordinance has been sent to the Governor to bring the outsourced employees under the ambit of contract. This will benefit thousands of employees across the state with better service security and more robust service conditions.”

On full restoration of power supply and normal operation of health services, the Finance Minister said that the Punjab Government is fully committed to the welfare of the employees and providing uninterrupted and quality public services to the people of the state.