MAPUSA
The Mapusa Municipal Council got a reprieve after the All Goa Municipal Employees Association decided to defer the strike call given to Mapusa municipality by 10 days pending the conciliation proceedings before the Labour Commissioner.
Last month, the Goa Municipal Employees Association had served a notice to the Mapusa municipality that the civic staff would go on strike from October 10 in protest against the failure of the council to fulfil their charter of demands.
The President of All Goa Municipal Employees Union (AGMEU), Kesha Prabhu informed that conciliatory proceedings has begun before the Labour Commissioner on the demands put forth by the employees.
He said Mapusa Municipal Council Chairperson, Shubhangi Vaigankar was present for the meeting and during negotiations the chairperson sought more time as she had to discuss the matter with the council.
“On the request of the Labour Commissioner we have given them 10 more days. If till then nothing happens then we will take a decision on the strike,” Prabhu said.
In the meanwhile, he said, the protest by way of wearing black ribbons on arms and agitations during lunch time will continue in the Mapusa municipality.
The AGMEU had issued a strike notice to the chairperson and the chief officer of the Mapusa municipality giving the council one month’s time to decide on the demands of the civic staff.
Interestingly, the demands of the civic employees were placed before the council meeting for discussion a month ago but were deferred due to procedural lapses.
Some councilors had expressed reservation in fulfilling the demands of the employees due to the precarious financial situation of the council. It was also suggested the need to evaluate whether the staff were eligible for extra perks as demanded by the union.
