Trade unions panel seeks government’s attention, threatens stir

From Our Correspondent

Itagar, Feb 1: The Joint Working Committee of Aruchal Pradesh Trade Unions (JWCAPTU) has appealed to the state government to address the long pending demands of the state’s workers. The demands include enhancement of wages of contingency and casual workers from existing to Rs 18,000 per month as per tiol floor level, regularization of workers who have completed 12 years and above and implementation of (VRS) Golden Handshake policy in all the departments with 15 days of ex-gratia per annum.

JWCAPTU Chairman Changma Tajo said that various workers’ unions of the state under the aegis of JWCAPTU have been seeking fulfilment of its demands since long but there has been no response from the state government till date. “We have submitted several memorandums and recently served a reminder with 45 day notice to address our genuine demands to the state Chief Secretary but the government turned a deaf ear to our genuine demands”, said Tajo adding that the unions would launch democratic action throughout the state to register their protest.

The JWCAPTU Chairman announced that the union would launch a phase-wise strike at Capital Complex to press for its demands beginning with a peaceful dhar in front of civil secretariat on February 6 next which would be followed by a pen and tool down strike and 12 hours hunger strike on February 14 and 18 respectively. “Issues like regularization of Auxiliary Labour Corps (ALC) and regularization of Work Charge (WC) who have completed 12 years and above in the service are vital for the welfare of the state’s workers and should be given utmost priority”, said Tajo. Dismayed with the state government’s apathy towards addressing their issues, JWCAPTU Secretary General Kenkar Yomcha said that the Unions would also launch a state-wide strike in case its genuine demands are not met with and sought support from students’ body like AAPSU and ANSU.