PONDA: The Goa Dairy Employees’ Union on Monday boycotted work and went on a three-day strike demanding the implementation of Seventh Pay Commission. However, the union postponed its strike within an hour soon after meeting the dairy Administrator Arvind Khutkar, who assured to have a meeting on the issue with Registrar of Cooperative Societies (RCS ) at the head office in Panjim on Wednesday at 3.30 pm.
According to Goa Dairy Employees’ Union secretary Hemanth Sawanth, “The RCS had asked the Goa Dairy to discuss the seventh pay scale issue at the general body meeting. The AGM had no power on implementation of pay scale. However, only the Goa Dairy Board and its chairman have the power to take decisions. Since the Administrator is looking after Goa Dairy affairs, we will discuss the issue with RCS.”
He slammed Anup Priolkar, a farmer for opposing the implementation of seventh pay scales.
Administrator Arvind Khutkar said, “RCS had sought clarification and budgetary provision on implementation of pay scales. In this regard, we have discussed issue with employees union and they agreed to postpone strike. We will discuss issue with RCS at the meeting scheduled on Wednesday.”
Union leader Puthi Gaonkar said, “There are around 267 workers in Goa Dairy, which has already implemented fourth, fifth and sixth pay scales. It should implement the seventh pay scales, which has been delayed for a long time.”
Meanwhile, according to sources, the RCS in a letter to Goa Dairy, had raised various questions with regards to the implementation of seventh pay scales. It had sought information on the last wage settlement and whether government permission was obtained when the sixth pay scales were implemented.
RCS had suggested that presently there is no board and that the administrator has been running Goa Dairy affairs and added that detailed proposal with complete financial implications in long run for at least next 10 years should be placed before general body to decide on implementation of pay scale. RCS had also questioned whether budgetary provision was made for payment of arrears for the current year.
