A labour dispute erupted at the Margao Mu nicipal Council on Monday after daily wage workers refused to report for duty following the expiry of their work contracts on Sunday. The contracts were not re newed, prompting the work ers to halt all municipal work in protest. Former Margao Chairperson Savio Coutinho extended his full support to the workers and demanded that their contracts be re newed immediately and that they receive fair payment for their services. According to reports, the work orders of the daily wage employees expired on November 2, and no fresh orders have been issued since. The workers there fore decided not to report for duty on Monday. Speaking in their sup port, Coutinho alleged that the employees had earlier been promised temporary status within the council, yet the assurance has not been implemented. He further claimed that officials obtained the work ers’ signatures on blank forms, instructing them to begin work with the as surance that orders would follow within a month or two. “If anything happens to these workers during this period, who will be re sponsible?” Coutinho ques tioned. He pointed out that sev eral of these daily wage em ployees have been working for the council for 15 to 20 years, yet have not been regularised despite repeat ed promises. “Fourteen workers had earlier received orders for permanent employment, but those were later with drawn. The court subse quently reinstated their permanent status, but even after three months, no offi cial order has been issued,” Coutinho said. He also accused the coun cil of ignoring the court’s directives and added that despite working even on hol idays in October, the workers were paid for only 26 days. Meanwhile, Margao Mu nicipal Chairperson Damo dar Shirodkar appealed to the workers to resume duty and warned that those who fail to report to work would face action. He clarified that the mu nicipal administration and the state government are following due procedures, and that slight delays in is suing orders are routine. “We held discussions with the Director of Mu nicipal Administration on Friday, and the approval for expenditure on daily wage employees has already been received. The orders are being prepared,” Shi rodkar explained. He assured that there will be no termination or service break for any of the workers, and that they will soon be granted temporary status as earlier promised. “Those who do not report to duty and those attempt ing to instigate others will not be spared,” he warned. The standoff between the municipal authorities and daily wage workers has brought regular civic oper ations in Margao to a tem porary halt. The issue now hinges on administrative action and mutual dialogue to ensure that workers’ rights are respected while municipal services contin ue smoothly.
Labour Dispute Halts Work at Margao Municipal Council as Daily Wage Workers Protest Contract Delays
