Essential services set to join cease work strike from June 6
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, May 30 2018:
Asking how many more days the State Government would wait before it comes out with a solution to the ongoing cease work strike, the JAC of AMTUC and AMGEO has threatened that essential services would be brought within the ambit of the strike from June 6 if the Government does not come with a plausible proposal by June 5.Speaking to media persons today, JAC general secretary Laitonjam Biken urged the State Government to bring out a white paper on its assertion that implementation of the 7th Pay would entail extra financial burden of Rs 1400 crore in a year.
He said that the salaries currently given to State Government employees were determined based on the wage rates of 2006 .
Even though salaries of employees are revised every 10 years, there has been no such revision for State Government employees for the past 12 years.
It is simply outrageous that the State Government employees are given salaries fixed on the wage rates of 2006 even though it is 2018, Biken said.
The JAC first submitted a 22-point of charter of demands including the demand for 7th Pay to the then Congress Government on October 8, 2016 and the then Government completed a landmark step by constituting a fitment committee.
The same charter of demands was also submitted to the BJP-led Government not long after the Government was sworn in.
Notably, the BJP's Vision Document released ahead of the 11th Maniput Legislative Assembly election promised that the State Government employees would be given 7th Pay in case they are elected to power, Biken recalled.
So far, the JAC and the Chief Minister have held four meetings and once with the Deputy Chief Minister who also holds the Finance portfolio.
As the Chief Minister failed to translate his own assurance into action, the JAC launched the cease work strike from March 22 .
The 4th Central Pay was implemented in the State after 15 days of strike during the time of Chief Minister RK Jaichandra, the 5th Central Pay was implemented after one month of strike during the time of Chief Minister W Nipamacha and the 6th central Pay was implemented after two months of strike during the time of Chief Minister O Ibobi, said the general secretary.
The ongoing cease work strike has so far completed 70 days.
Intense modes of agitation which would encompass essential services too would be launched from June 6 if the Government fails to come up with a plausible proposal by June 5, he warned.
When the JAC and the Chief Minister met for the third time on October 26 last year, the Chief Minister sought three months' time but now more than six months have passed, he said.
On being enquired whether the JAC would accept the State Government's proposal to wait for the 15th Finance Commission in case the Government makes such a proposal, Biken categorically stated that they cannot wait for the 15th Finance Commission as its term starts only in 2020-21.The current term for the 14th Finance Commission would expire in 2019-20 and the State Government should implement the 7th Pay within the period, he demanded.
The preceding Governments implemented the 4th, 5th and 6th Central Pays in consultation with the Central Government and these were what they were capable of, he added.