Tourism Minister Dilip Parulekar, deputed by Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar to broker peace between the government and the lifeguards, met the workers at Azad Maidan conveying the message.
Accompanied by Calangute MLA Michael Lobo, Parulekar assured that the striking employees would not be subjected to any victimization by the recruiting agency or others for the protest and that their salaries during the strike-period will not be deducted.
“There will be continuity of services of the lifeguards even though the contractor changes in future,” the minister said, adding that the government will chalk out modalities to offer alternative employment to lifeguards found unfit.
After a discussion with the lifeguards, All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) Goa decided to suspend the strike. “The government has finally agreed to a majority of the demands. We will wait and watch whether these are implemented,” AITUC Convener Suhas Naik told Herald.
The demands met included reinstating 17 ‘victimized’ workers by February 15, raising monthly salary to Rs 15,000 and constituting a committee under the Contract Labour Act to study and submit report to government on abolition of contract worker and regularizing services.
