the goan I network
PANAJI
Alleging that PWD Minister Sudin Dhavalikar has recruited and regularised new people in the Public Works Department despite a pending court petition, PWD employees of the Labour Supply Society on Tuesday took to the streets in protest.
Over 200 employees, employed in road work, sewerage plants, water treatment plants and the like have demanded once more that their jobs be regularised.
The employees, who have been working in the PWD for over 15, and in some cases, even as long as 20 years have demanded that any employee who has been in the service of the PWD for over three years be regularised at the earliest, as they are being deprived of the benefits that a government servant is entitled to.
“Overlooking those already employed in the PWD temporarily, the PWD Minister has recruited new workers who don’t even know how to tighten a nut or a bolt,” said R.D. Magueshkar, General Secretary of the All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC), amidst slogans by the employees that they would not give up fighting until justice has been served to them.
“Even though promises have been made for the past one and a half years, the issues persist,” maintained Magueshkar, even as he pointed out that the employees worked in essential services, and that if they refused to work, the public at large would face problems with the sewage system and water supply.
Meanwhile, Satturninho Misquita, a central committee member, expressed to the protestors that even when there were vacancies, the government employed their own people.
“The state government and central government are of the same party. Yet, they have not done anything,” said Misquita.
The Chief Engineer of the PWD, who met the protestors, assured that the 7th Pay Commission would be implemented for the employees.
He also assured that a meeting would be fixed with the Union by December 18, by which time pending files were expected to come.
The regularisation of the employees is currently with the law department.
Besides this, the employees have also demanded correction in their gradation and designation, rightful payment of bonus to them, equal pay for equal work, medical benefits and leave facilities.
