Karnataka employees want 30% Interim Relief, sets 31st October deadline.

The Karnataka State Government Employees' Association has set October 31 as the deadline for the Government to accept its demand of providing 30 per cent interim wage relief pending submission of the report by the official Pay Committee.

“We have made several representations to the Government and the Chief Minister, including the latest one on October 27, to provide interim relief in the light of steep increase in the cost of living. However, the Government now tells us that it will implement the Pay Committee report once and for all from April 1, 2012,” association president L. Byrappa told presspersons here.

If the Government does not act upon the association's demand, an emergency meeting of all district presidents will be convened on November 3 to chalk out the next course of action. Meanwhile, association units have been asked to hold gate meetings during lunch hour to build pressure on the Government to concede to their demand, he said.

‘Too late to wait'

While the Central Government and many State governments had implemented new pay scales with effect from January 1, 2006, Karnataka had not done so. Though the Pay Committee, headed by Additional Chief Secretary Subir Hari Singh, was constituted, it would take five more months for it to submit the report.

Hence, the interim relief was sought with effect from January 1, 2011, Mr. Byrappa said.

Source : The Hindu