Team Herald
MARGAO: Before even assuming office, the new Margao Municipal Council (MMC) and its patron Fatorda MLA Vijai Sardessai had to deal with striking municipal workers.
MMC garbage collectors and sweepers were protesting at the municipality for the remuneration promised to them for overtime work of the last one-and-half years. The strike ended when Sardesai and his Fatorda Forward panel stepped in and promised to resolve their issues.
“The previous council was on confrontation mode. The new council will take up the issues of the workers on priority and we will form a Standing Committee as soon as the first meeting is held,” said Sardesai, who criticised the previous council for leaving a dubious legacy and leaving such issues in a mess.
When asked if he, as MLA, would have to intervene every time there is a strike, he said he doesn’t think there will be another strike on this issue.
“Our workers have been working overtime for the last one-and-a-half years as there was a circular from the Chief Officer asking them to do so. But suddenly, the auditor took objection to paying overtime as it doesn’t fit in the 6th Pay Commission notification. We should have been told that it isn’t possible to pay us. Why this injustice?” said Anil Shirodkar, president of the MMC Workers’ Association.
Meanwhile, Advocate Rajeev Gomes has strongly objected to the strike and said if the council decides to pay this “unwarranted overtime”; the matter will be referred to the anti-corruption and vigilance department.”The municipal employees strike was illegal and unjustified. They and especially the inspectors owe an explanation to the citizens on how if they do overtime; there is proliferation of roadside hawkers, illegal encroachments, uncollected garbage/litter, etc. Don’t these inspectors collect hafta from these hawkers and encroachers? Is there any data to establish that they have overworked? We will wait and see whether the new council will succumb or collude in this scam to make a buck at the taxpayers’ cost,” said Adv Gomes.”
The MMC employees withdrew their strike after an assurance by the MLA, which shows that we again succumbed to the tactics of the employees. The new council should have given a strong message to the striking employees to get back to work or face action. This kind of illegal strikes should not be tolerated anymore. This is one of the reasons Margao suffered all these years” said activist Dixon Vaz.
