Bal Rath Employees Union
decide to defer strike
PANAJI: 900 workers of the Bal Rath Employees Union have decided to defer their strike till students have completed their exams. Concerned with students not reaching in time for their exams if they were to go on an indefinite strike, the workers decided to call off further action till June, when the new academic year will begin.
Announcing the development, union leader Swati Kerkar said, “All the workers were concerned their strike would not go well with students who are currently answering their exams. They have therefore said, if the government doesn’t resolve their issue by June, they will begin a full-fledged strike after that.”
She said the exact plan and implementation would be decided in a general body meeting that will be held after the exams are over. She added that on the list was to start a door-to-door campaign, sensitising the public on their condition.
Their list of demands include payment of the entire year’s salary and not just 10 months, increments in their payments from Rs 5,000 to Rs 10,000 for attendants and from Rs 10,000 to Rs 18,000 for drivers. They have also demanded a stop to unfair labour practices and harassment to its members. Workers also pointed to having to do work other than that specified to them at the schools they received posting at.
