PANJIM: Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar finally assured Public
Works Department (PWD) workers that their appointments would be made regular at
the time of filling vacant posts in the department.
His assurance on Wednesday came after hundreds of workers under the
PWD Labour Supply Society took to the streets protesting the government’s
attitude towards fulfilling their pending demands.
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The workers, backed by the All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) marched
from Panjim KTC Bus Stand and were walking towards the CM’s official residence
at Altinho when they were stopped near Panjim Church. A six-member delegation then
met the CM with a list of pending demands.
The protest was called off based on the CM’s assurance, AITUC
Convener Advocate Suhas Naik said after the meeting. “The CM has sent a noting
to the PWD Chief Engineer that henceforth vacancies for regular posts will be
filled by workers under the PWD Society and several contractual employees
employed at the department,” he said quoting Parsekar.
There are 1385 workers under the PWD Labour Supply Society, waiting
to be absorbed on the payroll. On the other set of demands, the delegation, led
by AITUC General Secretary Christopher Fonseca was asked to speak to PWD
minister Ramkrishna (Sudin) Dhavalikar.
The demands included correction in
designation as due to this they are fitted in wrong pay-scales and category
of work. “We request that necessary corrections be made to the individual
designations, grades, pay-scales and allowances
immediately. The workers who do not posses qualification be
placed as multi-tasking
staff with a pay band of Rs 5200 and grade pay of Rs1800 as
recommended by the VI Pay Commission,” the delegation stated.
The payment of arrears from April 1, 2013 to June 30, 2014 on being granted ‘temporary
status,’ implementation of temporary status to those who have completed eight
years in service; medical benefits, etc were also discussed.
