PANAJI
The Association has decided to get together 30,000 employees who will apply for casual leave and “will not leave the Secretariat until the government issues orders or a notification.”
Speaking to media, GGEA President John Nazareth said the Association had welcomed the government’s recent announcement that employees would get revised salaries from November, but was disappointed with it not being implemented.
Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar had announced that the notification for the 7th pay commission would be issued during the Chaturthi festival and that salaries in the revised pay scale would be paid from the November with the arrears from January to October credited to PF accounts of employees.
“We waited for 20 days after Chaturthi, but nothing changed. We then sought for a meeting with the CM but no appointment was given. GGEA also wrote another letter to Parsekar on October 10, to discuss the issue,” he said.
Fed up with the delay, GGEA has now decided to take the issue forward and follow the requirements for protest, with a 21-day strike notice. The notice that was served on Monday in addition, demanded parity in pay scales to all government employees, complete stoppage of service extensions and re-employment of retired government employees, grant of group C status to all Group D employees after January 1, 2006 and stoppage of recoveries from Group D employees.
GGEA has decided to hold a rally from Azad Maidan, Panjim to the Secretariat and will remain there till the government issues the orders and notifications for settlement of their demands.
“We will parade government employees, employees of state-owned corporations and autonomous bodies, employees of aided schools and pensioners after the expiry of the notice period by applying for casual leave or any other type of leave and will not leave the secretariat till the government issues the orders,” said Nazareth.
A special action committee has also been constituted in all talukas with two coordinators for North and South Goa. Other unions including the All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC), Junior Engineers Association and Diocesan School Employees (DSE) have also extended support and will participate in the strike.
Though the strike notice will expire on November 28, the exact date of the strike is yet to be confirmed.
