Muster roll workers demand regularization of their services

FROM A REPORTER
SHILLONG, Nov 24: Muster Roll Workers in Sericulture Department from different parts of the State accompanied with members of Thma U Rangli-Juki (TUR) today demanded that the State government should immediately regularize their services.
The workers also demanded protection of all their rights and benefits as workers including revision of wages to reflect their skills and conforming to labour practices and policies, making them full stakeholders in the sericulture industry of the State taking them into confidence while making major decisions and ensuring transparency and accountability in the functioning of the department and industry of the State.
Addressing newsmen here on Thursday, a muster roll worker in the sericulture department Rita Mary Khongsha said, “We demand that state government should regularize our services so that we will have a job security. We are disappointed with the way the government has treated us. There are workers who have been working in the department since 1971 and still their services have not been regularized.” It may be mentioned that the workers engaged in work in Sericulture department for several years, some employed as way back as in 1977. These people have worked as Muster Roll Workers undertaking several skilled tasks such as planting and tending Mulberry bushes, maintaining Mulberry gardens including weeding, manuring, insecticide spraying etc. She informed that since the month of January this year the muster roll workers under sericulture department have been working under contractual basis.  Meanwhile, TUR member Angela Rangad said sericulture is one industry which is very viable and the government should put in extra effort to further uplift it, because it is a unique industry and it can support the livelihood of many individuals and it is also profitable.  The muster roll workers have also decided to submit a petition to the Minister of Sericulture Department government of Meghalaya on their demands next week.