Govt-JAC talks : No solution but conducive
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, April 29 2010: For the first time in over three months of agitation, representatives of the agitating employees and state Government held discussions at a meeting today during which both sides reportedly agreed to relax their respective stance.

The State Government was led by Revenue Minister Th Debendra, who heads a Ministerial team constituted by the Government to resolve the current impasse as a consequence of employees demanding implementation of the Sixth Pay Commission recommendations in totality.

Earlier at around 11.30 am today, the employees' representatives called on the Governor on the same issue during which Gurbachan Jagat reportedly expressed concern at the prolong abstention from duty by the employees that has consequently caused inconveniences to the general public.

JAC members coming out after the talk

After the session with the Governor, representatives of Manipur Secretariat Service Association, JAC, Pensioners' Union, COTA and All India State Government Employees' Confederation were closeted with the Ministerial Team members from about 12.30 pm to 2.30 pm.

Significantly, MSSA general secretary L Purujit, JAC's former senior vice president Tongbram tikendrajit and its senior president Ningthoujam Manihar were escorted by a police team from a prison centre to attend the meeting at the end of which the trio were sent back to jail.

The employees were represented by 25 persons while the Ministerial team comprised of Th Debendra, Health Minister Ph Parijat and SPF spokesman N Biren Singh.

Speaking to newspersons after the meeting, N Biren said even though there was no immediate solution during the nearly two hour negotiation more discussions would be held, while MSSA general secretary L Purujit conveyed that the Ministerial Team entertained the employees' grievances with regard to the demand, views and ideas.

Purujit also announced that as the Chief Minister was out of station and the Ministerial Team could not finalise or confirm the Government's decision to the demands the ceasework strike would continue.

According to convenor of All India State Government Employees' Confederation Arun the Ministerial Team responded positively to the employees' demand for releasing all the detained employees to facilitate further negotiations which might resume within five days.

He further contended that both sides reached an understanding for leniency from their current postures for which the employees are prepared/willing.

Arun also mentioned that the Governor assured to do the needful for releasing employees detained earlier during the course of the ceasework agitation.

While the talks were being held employees belonging to different departments such as Forest, IFCD, Transport, electricity, Assembly secretariat, PHED, Printing and Stationery etc., staged sit-in-protest at near the office complex of Transport Directorate.