PANJIM: With the Corporation of the City of Panaji workers union strike entering the third day, the CCP on Wednesday decided to outsource the collection of garbage which will be undertaken with police protection.
The authorities have, however, kept open the door for the workers to join duty, even as the State government hiked the minimum wages of workers across the State from Rs 221 to Rs 323 per day.
Striking CCP workers on Wednesday refused to collect garbage as a sign of protest against the arrest of union leader Ajitsingh Rane. Later in the evening, Rane was granted personal bail by the Panjim Chief Judicial Magistrate on a bond of Rs 5000. After his release, he announced that the workers will continue the collection of garbage, but on a slow scale. Rane, who was on indefinite hunger strike in the lock up, withdrew his ‘fast until death’ protest, in the presence of the workers at Azad Maidan.
Asked about the suggestions made by the Labour Commissioner to resolve the matter, he said, “We are in favour of the suggestion that states payment of strike wage should be provided on the condition that workers compensate by working overtime. CCP should give us our eight days salary as we have already worked overtime in December during Christmas, when our eight days salary was withdrawn.”
Panjim Mayor Shubham Chodankar and CCP Commissioner Sanjit Rodrigues called a special meeting of the councillors to discuss the matter. The council unanimously decided to enforce the government’s decision to hike the minimum wage and pay the workers Rs 323 provided they work. “We are in process of communicating with the union to discuss the matter of eight days salary. We have narrowed down three suggestions,” Chodankar said, refusing to elaborate on the shortlisted suggestions.
Reacting to the hike in minimum wages, Rane said they will continue with their demand for Rs 409 a day. “Rs 323 is not decided by CCP, but a decision by the State government. We welcome the decision by the government, but our demand for Rs 409 as a daily wage will continue,” Rane said.
Former Panjim Mayor Surendra Furtado slammed Rodrigues and Chodankar for implementing the standing committee’s decision to give Rs 300 to the worker when Furtado was mayor. He said, “When I was the mayor, the standing committee headed by me had resolved to pay Rs 300 to the workers. If CCP had to sanction the money and pay them the amount, this situation wouldn’t have arrived.”
Meanwhile, a day after hundreds of CCP employees were arrested for violating ESMA rules, the Congress party has come out in support of the workers urging the government to look into their demands.
“Hundreds of workers are coming out on the street demanding protection of their livelihood. The government needs to look at their issues with a human face,” State Congress president Luizinho Faleiro said on Wednesday.
The Congress leader requested the government not to allow the confrontation to escalate but start the process of reconciliation and settlement. “Their issues need to be settled. I am requesting the government and the Corporation of the City of Panaji to settle the issue,” Faleiro said.
The CCP daily wage workers are on an indefinite strike for over two weeks now demanding a rise in their wages and regularization of services. Failing to get any relief from the government and CCP, the workers on Tuesday turned CCP into a dumping ground by throwing wet and dry waste in the corporation office.
Panjim police arrested the workers along with their union leader for violation of ESMA which was imposed on Monday.
