Manipur employees threaten ceasework

Manipur government employees will go on strike later this month to support the demand to implement the recommendations of the Sixth Pay Commission.

The employees are at present sporting black badges as part of their campaign to pressure the government into implementing the hiked pay rates. They have been wearing black badges since November 6.

“The black badge campaign will continue up to November 12. From the next day we will apply work-to-rule up to November 19,” Priyobrata Singh, the publicity secretary of the Joint Administrative Council of the employees’ unions, said today.

The employees will then launch a pen down strike from November 20 to 26.

An indefinite ceasework will follow from November 27.

“We do not want to launch any agitation as the situation in the state is bad. But we are compelled to do so as the government is indifferent to our demands,” the secretary said.

He, however, said the employees would call off the agitation if the government responded positively.

So far, there has been no response from the government.

The employees said the central government employees were paid according to the revised payscales.

“We are suffering and the government must come to our rescue,” they said.

The All Manipur State Employees Council, another organisation of government employees, submitted a memorandum to chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh yesterday, demanding an increased in the minimum wage of skilled workers from the current Rs 150 to Rs 180.

Source : The Telegraph.