MARGAO
The Margao unit of the Goa Municipal Employees Association has resolved to serve a notice on the Director of Municipal Administration that the employees will go on a day’s strike on October 8 if the authorities do not accept their charter of demands, including the transfer of Margao Municipal Chief Officer Ajit Panchwadkar.
Association General Secretary Anil Shirodkar has warned the government that the municipal workers will go on an indefinite strike if the demands are not met by October 8.
He pointed out that the Association has been demanding the transfer of the Chief Officer for some time now, but in vain . “We have been left with no option but to serve the notice of strike on the DMA, Chief Secretary and the Margao Municipal Council,” he said.
Shirodkar pointed out the demand for the regularization of daily wage workers has been pending for years now. He said as per the existing settlement executed under 12 (3) of the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947, all those completing 240 days service in a calendar year are eligible for regularization in council services.
The association has further demanded the filling of vacant and lapsed posts in the Margao Municipal Council. Shirodkar pointed out that the association has been demanding the filling up of the number of posts fallen vacant during the last three years in the council.
“These posts were regular and sanctioned posts and therefore a system was required to put in practice to monitor the process of filling these sanctioned posts before the same fell vacant and later lapsed,” he said.
The association has further demanded that the MMC fill up and regularize the harness cases, saying the existing settlement requires every council to provide employment to the dependents of the deceased employee within 90 days from the death of such an employee.
The association has also demanded the extension of the MACP benefits and payment of grade pay and arrears. He pointed out that the matter has been pending over the extension of MACP benefit to the MMC employees.
He further said all the councils in Goa, including the Margao council, during negotiations, had agreed to maintain parity of pay scales, grade pay and other service benefits to the employees on par with Goa government employees and also grant all the benefits of the pay commission recommendations.
He, however, said the MMC has been avoiding payment of trade pay to its employees at the same rate as paid to Goa government employees.
