IMC stalemate set to persist
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, December 24, 2013: With mass casual leave and sit-in-protest agitation not evoking positive response to their demand for implementation of the 6th Pay Commission recommendation, employees of Imphal Municipal Council (IMC) are set to launch more intense agitation.

Speaking to newspersons at Manipur Press Club today, Joint Coordination Committee of All Manipur Municipality Employees & Workers' Union general secretary Ph Chaoba said its members would work out further course of action (agitation) at a meeting convened on December 26. Pointing out that employees in other State Departments have been drawing 6th Pay scale since January 2006 while employees of the nine IMCs are deprived of similar incentive hike, Chaoba contended that a particular Act entitles even employees of semi-govt establishments to enjoy Sixth Pay scale.

Expressing that existence of Government institutions with the employees of same grade drawing incompatible salary amount is ironical, the general secretary said expecting employees with salary variance to live in harmony and maintain family expenditure lack justification.

On September 3 an IMC delegation called on the Chief Minister to demand implementation of 6th Pay Commission recommendation and based on the CM's assurance to look into the matter, IMC employees decided not to agitation for a month.

However, with the assurance not materialising another meeting was convened at the CM's Bungalow in October during which the CM, his Ministerial colleagues, MLAs and IMC Chairperson attended, he said recounting issues related to the 6th Pay, pension scheme and service cadre were discussed.

Even though assurances were given on pension scheme and cadre issues neither were the assurances translated into action nor was the Government committed on extending 6th Pay scale, Chaoba explained.

It is said that consequent to the Government's failure to honour the demands, employees of the 9 municipal councils of Manipur approved formation of the Joint Committee on November 23 to highlight their plight.

With the Committee issuing notice on December 2 that the IMC employees would be launching various form of agitation, employees took mass casual leave to embark on cease work strike from December 17 onward, maintained the general secretary who also asserted that until and unless the 6th Pay scale is extended to the IMC employees along with clearing pension arrear amount the employees would persist with cease work strike for which a final decision on the mode of agitation would be taken on December 26 .

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