MACS staffers go on strike
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, January 30 2014:
Responding to the Nation wide India strike called by All India AIDS Control Society Employees' Association, members of Manipur State AIDS Control Society Employees' Association (MACSCEA) embarked on an indefinite ceasework strike from today.
As part of the agitation, MACSCEA members staged a sit-in-protest at the MACS office premises in R&D Wing, Lamphelpat to demand service regularisation of the contractual employees, denounce pay anomalies and highlight other grievances.
Stating that a total of 299 employees have been serving under MACS for over a decade without any hint of service regularisation inspite of the fact that most of the employees have crossed the age limit to join other services, MACSCEA president M Abhiram said in a media briefing that these employees too deserve to have job security.
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Referring to an official intimation from NACO, Abhiram said grievances faced by the contractual staff of MACS have been highlighted in a memorandum to the MACS Project director for perusal and necessary redressal measures.
Along with pointing out to the Project Director that under NACP-IV, payment of arrears is due for the contractual staff since April 2012 and not from october 2013 as mentioned in the revised pay structure issued by NACO, he said denial of arrear benefits for almost 18 months is unacceptable and not feasible.
The other demands highlighted in the representation include medical benefits/insurance for MACS staffers as per Government norms; make leave encashment and Employees' Provident Fund applicable to the contractual staff of MACS; maternity leave be extended to three months with full pay; increase salary ceiling of employees working under different capacities/designations under MACS based on length of service and educational qualification; and upgrade post of driver, Grace-IV/peon, cleaner (at SACS level) sanctioned post under NACP-IV pay structure.
Insisting that the relevant official measures be initiated at the earliest to honour the demands, Abhiram also affirmed that until and unless there is no positive response the strike will continue.