Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, April 19 2010:
Striking employees of state government today get a ray of hope when Governor, Gurbachan Jagat assured of his intervention into more than three month deadlock with the state government on the implementation of revised sixth pay bands to the employees.
Governor assured them that if no positive takes up by the government in the next two or three days, he will look into the matter that can be done at his level, general secretary, Ch Chandramani informed while talking to reporters after the meeting with the representatives of the agitating JAC of AMTUC and AMGEO.
On the invitation of the Governor, representatives of strike JAC of AMTUC and AMGEO led by Chandramani called on with Governor, Gurbachan Jagat today at the Imphal Raj Bhavan and conveyed their stance on the demand for in toto implementation of the recommendation of the Sixth Pay Commission.
In the hour long, Governor patiently heard to the demands of the employees and assured that he will intervene if government did not take up necessary steps to address their demands within the next two or three days, Chandramani informed reporters after the meeting with the Governor.
Governor, mentioned may be made, has invited striking employees under the banner of JAC today and hear their stance as the situation become worsen with employees of the Manipur Secretariat Service joined the cease works strike from last Saturday.
Governor's assurance to intervene was in the backdrop of Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh' reported formation of a ministerial team to hold negotiation with the agitating employees which have entered fourth month on April 17 .
A ministerial committee headed senior cabinet minister of revenue and law and legislative affairs, Th Debendro was formed by the Chief Minister on Saturday last after an informal meeting with his cabinet minister that discussed the latest development in the state administration following the joining of the employee of secretariat in the strike.
"We will not retreat our step at any cost until government fulfill our demand," Chandramani said when asked for any plan for negotiation with the government.
He, while maintaining that the government had given the reason of non payment of arrears as fund constraint, demanded the government to produce a white paper with the statements given by the Chief Minister repeatedly in various occasions.
During the audience with the Governor, the JAC also submitted a memorandum containing 14 charters of demand which includes most importantly the implementation of Revised Sixth Pay Commission effective from January 2006 with backlog arrears.
The JAC of AMTUC and All Manipur Government Employees Organization (AMGEO) started launching the indefinite cease work strike from January 16 on the demand of implementation of revised pay recommended by the Sixth Pay Commission.
On the other hand the ministers included in the ministerial committee formed by the government to look into the demands of the employees convened a meeting at 10 am.
The three ministers, Th Debendra, Phungjathang Tonsing and Ph Parijat seated together till around 12.30 pm and thoroughly discussed on the demands of the employees in comparison with that of the financial status of the state.
The committee also summoned principal secretary finance who briefed the ministers about the financial position of the state and possible fall out of it after given out the arrears of the employees as demanded by them.
The ministerial committee is likely to submit to the Chief Minister by tomorrow.
Based on the report of the committee, state government is likely to take up steps to hold talked with the striking JAC, the source maintained.