PONDA: Minister for Cooperation Govind Gaude has said that Goa Dairy is a cooperative society and not a government body, as such, he cannot order it to implement Seventh Pay scale to its employees.
“Goa Dairy is an autonomous body and we can’t direct it to implement government pay scales. The government does not even have share capital in Goa Dairy,” he said.
The minister was reacting to the threat being held out by Goa Dairy employees to launch a strike for implementation of Seventh Pay Scale. A meeting is also scheduled on the issue between the employees and Registrar of Cooperative Societies on Wednesday.
He said that the general body of the farmers should take a decision on implementing the pay scale to its employees. Government had never in the past issued order for pay scale implementation. He said that he even advised the employees not to go on strike in the interest of Goa Dairy as it would affect supply of milk.
When asked about the financial condition of the Dairy, he said, “It is weak.”
It may be recalled that the employees on Monday had claimed that the government had ordered the Goa Dairy to implement the pay scales and so they got fourth, fifth and sixth pay scales and now the Dairy is avoiding to implement the seventh pay scale which made workers to threaten strike.
Meanwhile, former Goa Dairy chairman Anup Desai said that the dairy takes its own decisions.
And Union leader Puti Gaonkar said that since Goa Dairy’s financial condition is weak now and there is no Board, the Seventh pay scale issue should be discussed by the general body of Farmers as the Dairy is owned by them.
