Over four lakh state employees will proceed with the proposed three-day token strike from September 06 as talks between government and its workforce failed to end deadlock despite ‘amicable’ negotiations over release of pending Sixth Pay Commission arrears on Saturday.
Sources said that high level official team headed by Finance Minister, Abdul Rahim Rather held a meeting with a 30-member Joint Consultative Committee—an amalgam of different employees associations across the state— over the various demands of the employees including release of the arrears.
“Talks were held in a very amicable atmosphere. We presented our point of view, rather gave a detailed account about the grievances of the employees to the government,” Khursheed Alam, senior JCC leader and president EJAC (K) told Press Bureau of India.
He said that government has assured them that it will take necessary steps to resolve the issues facing the employees.
“We are hopeful that talks will resolve the issues,” he said. However, Alam said that the employees will proceed with the 3-day token strike from September 06. “As our demands were not, we will go ahead with the three day pen down strike,” he added.
JCC has called for employees’ march to Civil Secretariat here on September 8 to press for their demands. The 4.5 lakh employees’ work force will observe complete pen down strike on September 6, 7 and 8.
Meanwhile, in an official handout, the Minister for Finance & Ladakh Affairs, Abdul Rahim Rather said that the administration was fully concerned about the issues confronting employees and that all their genuine demands have always been considered. “Our doors and mind are open to address all issues,” he said.
Rather appealed the employees’ fraternity to leave the path of confrontation as the Government was open to discuss their demands in a peaceful manner.
He offered to revisit the roadmap for payment of sixth pay commission arrears in consultation with employees representatives if JCC suspends its proposed strike programme and decides to come on the dialogue table.
“The Government was ready to invite representatives of various employees associations to work in collaboration with the Cabinet Sub Committee to hammer out a realistic solution of the employees demands”.
He said confrontation was neither in the favour of employees nor in the favour of people or the Government.
Rather said that every issue can be addressed through consultations. He said earlier also most of the employees demands were solved through consultations and their remaining demands can also be solved through dialogue. However, for any successful dialogue congenial atmosphere was needed.
He asked the trade unions to adopt a reasonable approach keeping constraints in mind.
Rather said need of the hour was to build an atmosphere of goodwill and trust between the employees and the Government for creating a congenial atmosphere for dialogue to discuss employees issues. The employees leadership has a pivotal role to play in this regard, he added.
Rather said that Government has fulfilled maximum demands of the employees which includes implementation of the Sixth pay Commission recommendations, regularization of Adhoc and Contractual Employees ‘which is an extra ordinary step, first of its kind in the history of the Country.’
He said HRA of the employees has been already enhanced and Cola of PSU’s converted into DA even though State has meager fiscal resources and it is wage bill has touched an alarming figure of 13500 crore in 2011-12 from 6300 crore in 2008-09.
While inviting employees for a meaningful discussion with the Cabinet Sub Committee Rather hoped that this step will pay rich dividends which will be in the favour of employees ultimately.
The meeting was attended by the Principal Secretary to Chief Minister, B.B.Viyas, Commissioner/Secretary, Finance, Sudhanshu Pandey, Special Secretary, GAD, K.S.Chib.
The demand of employees include release of arrears in cash in favour of the employees, enhancement of retirement age from 58 to 60, regularization of about 50000 ad hoc and other temporary employees, and redressal of pay anomalies in different cadres.
Source : Kashmir Dispatch.
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