Backed by the All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) Goa, around 650 lifeguards employed at various beaches under Drishti Lifesaving Pvt Ltd, served a 72-hour advance notice informing of the strike.
“All the lifeguards are working for the last 15 years and have saved lives of many domestic and foreign tourists besides contributing to boost the tourism industry in the State. However, due to the continued exploitation and oppression of these workmen, the labour union had served a strike notice to the contractor and principal employer (Tourism Department) at regular intervals,” AITUC convener Suhas Naik said on Wednesday.
Following the Goa-wide strike by life-guards on November 21, 2014, Naik said that the ministers for labour and tourism intervened and signed a agreement with the AITUC led Union wherein it was agreed that the 17 victimised workmen would be reinstated in service within 10 days.
“It was also agreed that other issues pertaining to salary revision, regularisation of services will be resolved in a time-bound manner. However, despite the written agreement, the pending issues have remained unresolved,” Naik added.
The lifeguards had again struck work for 16 days from December 29, 2015 to January 13, 2016.
The ‘satyagraha’ was suspended on January 13 following a public assurance from the government to meet their demands. A fresh decision to boycott work once every month was resolved after the government failed to honour its assurance.
