Chandigarh, Oct 7 — A three-day statewide strike by outsourced employees of Verka began on Monday, raising fears of disruption in Punjab’s daily milk supply. The protest, organised by the Verka Milk Plant Contract Mulazam Union Punjab, seeks the regularisation of thousands of contractual workers who claim to manage more than 90% of Verka’s operations.
Union president Pawandeep Singh said that the strike could halt the supply of nearly 12 lakh litres of milk every day, potentially resulting in losses between ₹10 crore and ₹15 crore over three days. “If our demands are not met, we will escalate the protest,” he warned, accusing the government of neglecting the long-standing concerns of contractual workers.
According to Milkfed data, out of nearly 6,000 sanctioned posts across Verka plants, only about 700–800 are held by permanent employees. The rest of the workforce, union members said, is outsourced and works under insecure and unequal conditions.
However, Milkfed Managing Director Rahul Gupta dismissed the union’s claims of a complete shutdown. “All 14 Verka plants are operational. We cannot afford to miss even a single milk packet to anyone under the Essential Commodities Act,” he said.
Gupta noted that attendance varied across units during the strike. “In some plants, 30 to 40 percent of outsourced workers reported for duty, while in others, 95 percent showed up. They know the reality,” he added.
Addressing the issue of vacancies, Gupta accused the union of obstructing the legal recruitment process. “They are not allowing us to advertise the posts. They want to avoid the test and enter through the backdoor, which is not justifiable under law,” he said.
Gupta said that Milkfed had offered concessions to the workers. “We even proposed to give them extra marks in the exam, but they refused to cooperate,” he noted.
The union, on the other hand, maintains that outsourced staff are indispensable to Verka’s functioning and deserve regularisation for their long service. Workers participating in the strike said they would continue their agitation peacefully but were prepared to intensify it if their demands remain unmet.
The strike has come at a crucial time for Punjab’s dairy sector, which relies heavily on Verka’s vast supply network to meet both urban and rural demand. Officials said contingency plans were in place to ensure uninterrupted milk distribution across the state.
