VASCO
Mormugao Municipal Council (MMC) workers who had gone on a strike on Monday have decided to continue with the protest after the round of discussion with the newly appointed Administrator Raju Gawas and the municipal union on Tuesday failed to convince the workers to join duty.
Several workers along with the All Goa Municipal Employees' Union (AGMEU) General Secretary Anil Shirodkar met the administrator who asked for some time to resolve their grievances as Tuesday was his first day at the MMC and he was yet to learn about the facts and figures of the municipality.
While Gawas said that he would try to take the issue with higher-ups, check on the pending recoveries and amount available with MMC to resolve the issue, and appealed the workers to resume duty, the workers demanded that all their demands be met failing which they would not resume work.
Hinting that the strike could last for many days till all the demands are met, AGMEU general secretary Anil Shirodkar said that it was sad to note that the workers had been regularly on strike almost every month for the last two years.
"This is an 'A' Class municipality and these workers are frontline warriors who have worked dedicatedly even during the pandemic, and besides not getting salaries on time, their instalments are cut from the salaries but not reflected in the banks or LIC, and we want to know where is this money is going. Workers have not even got their allowance and these workers take up works like clearing of garbage and they were not even provided masks during the pandemic. Administrator says he has joined today and sought time, but we will not begin work till our demands are met," said Shirodkar.
"The workers have to face issues and penalties from banks for no fault of theirs and we have also written to the MLAs and ministers but there is no response. The MMC says they don't have funds and recovery is pending, but what is the fault of the workers. The salary works to around Rs 1.3 crore and if the MMC cannot generate this revenue than what is the point of the MMC. It is a shame that workers of this 'A' class municipality have to come on the road and we don't know what the government is doing," said Shirodkar.
Newly appointed Administrator Raju Gawas said it was his first day when the workers had gone on a strike.
"The workers have to return to work, only after which recoveries can be done, money can be earned and salaries can be paid. I can't do much if the workers go on a strike. I have learnt that there are huge pending dues and we will start a recovery drive. I also have to check for the amount recovered recently but there is no one in the office to help me with the details. I have to evaluate the situation and will take up the issue with the government," said Gawas.
