Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann is facing an increasing revolt from government employees, with over 3 lakh staff taking mass casual leave and contractual roadways workers extending their strike indefinitely. The twin protests have disrupted bus services and work in government offices, piling pressure on the Aam Aadmi Party government as it heads for the 2027 Assembly elections.
The meeting, however, remained inconclusive after nearly two hours of negotiations. The demands cover pay, pensions, employment security and benefits, leaving several key issues unresolved despite repeated engagement with the government. The parallel protests also put the government’s handling of employee grievances under scrutiny, as unions signal that normal operations will not resume without progress on their demands.
Employee representatives met Chief Secretary KAP Sinha at 4 pm on Thursday after the government released the minutes of an earlier meeting with Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, as demanded by the unions. Subsequently, a 39-member delegation representing employees and pensioners met officials but said it received no clear assurance on several demands.
Sukhchain Singh Khaira, coordinator of the Joint Action Committee leading the agitation, said work across government offices, including directorates, had been affected. The government clarified that they had been given “tenure” rather than regular employee status carrying the financial benefits available to regular employees, according to employee representatives.
