Harpal Cheema Engages with Employee Unions in Chandigarh
Chandigarh, August 27 – Punjab Finance Minister and Cabinet Sub-Committee Chairman Advocate Harpal Singh Cheema on Tuesday held a series of meetings with various employee unions at the Punjab Civil Secretariat to address long-pending grievances.
The discussions involved delegations from multiple organizations, including the Art and Craft Teachers’ Unions, ETT TET Pass Adhyapak Association (Jai Singh Wala), AIE Kacche Adhyapak Union, Associate Pre-Primary Adhyapak Union, All Punjab DST/CTS Contract Instructor Union, and the Beruzgar Multipurpose Health Worker Union.
Cheema assured union representatives that their legitimate concerns would be addressed promptly. He also directed relevant departments to take immediate action wherever necessary.
Focus on Teachers’ Issues
In a joint meeting with the Art and Craft Teachers’ Unions, Cheema urged leaders to create a Common Minimum Program to help find sustainable solutions. He encouraged the submission of written arguments and supporting documents to the Education Department, which would then initiate follow-up action.
Leaders from several associations, including President Sandeep Singh (Beruzgar Drawing Masters Sangharash Committee), President Ranjit Singh (B.Ed PST TET Pass Arts and Craft Teachers Union), President Harjinder Singh (Art and Craft TET Pass Beruzgar Adhyapak Union), and President Rakesh Kumar (Berujgar PS TET Pass Art and Craft Sangharsh Union), presented their respective cases.
The Finance Minister also listened to concerns from the ETT TET Pass Teachers Association (Jai Singh Wala), the AIE Temporary Teachers Union, and the Associate Pre-Primary Teachers Union. He instructed the Education Department to resolve their genuine demands at the earliest.
Addressing Contract Instructors and Health Workers
Cheema further met with representatives from the All Punjab DST/CTS Contract Instructor Union and the Beruzgar Multipurpose Health Worker Union. He emphasized the need for swift departmental action to ensure justice for contractual employees and unemployed health workers.
Union leaders including Sukhwinder Singh Dhilwan (President) and Raman Kumar (Convener) of the Beruzgar Multipurpose Health Worker Union pressed for immediate relief measures.
Similarly, leaders such as Sandeep Singh (President) and Jaswinder Singh (General Secretary) from the DST/CTS Contract Instructor Union highlighted the challenges faced by contractual instructors across the state.
Strong Representation by Union Leaders
A wide range of union representatives attended the meetings, presenting their concerns in detail.
- ETT TET Pass Adhyapak Association (Jai Singh Wala): Kamal Thakur (President), Sohan Singh (General Secretary), and Gurmukh Singh (Committee Member).
- AIE Kacche Adhyapak Union: Tejinder Kaur (President), Kiranjeet Kaur (Secretary), and Tejinder Singh (Treasurer).
- Associate Pre-Primary Adhyapak Union: Sukhchain Singh (President), Makhan Singh (Secretary), and Sukhbir Kaur.
The Finance Minister’s engagement with so many representatives underscored the government’s intent to maintain dialogue and transparency in handling employee issues.
Government’s Commitment to Employee Welfare
Cheema reassured unions that the state government is committed to resolving genuine demands of employees across sectors. He stressed the importance of collaborative solutions through constant engagement with unions.
“The government recognizes the valuable contribution of teachers, instructors, and health workers to society. Their issues deserve fair and timely redressal,” Cheema stated.
By forming a Cabinet Sub-Committee dedicated to employee issues, the Punjab government aims to streamline problem-solving and provide employees with a structured platform for their grievances.
The Finance Minister added that fair resolutions will be implemented after careful departmental review and with the interests of employees in mind.