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| Civil Sectt employees call off strike | | Nurses threaten to suspend emergency services | |
EARLY TIMES REPORT
JAMMU: Apr 13: In what could be described as "some relief" to the state government, Civil Secretariat (Non-Gazetted) Employees' today called off their nine-day-old strike on an assurance by the State Government that their demands would be met in next three months amicably.
"Taking into consideration the appeal made by the Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah the coordination committee of the employees has decided to call off its strike and 4000 employees who were on strike would resume duties from April 15," Nazir Ahmed Mir, president of Civil Secretariat Employees Union told reporters at a hurriedly called press conference at the residence of Devender Rana, political advisor to Chief Minister this evening.
"The government has assured us that our demands would be met within three months, and we believe that it is a genuine promise," the president said, adding "in view of the difficulties faced by the people, we are calling off the strike."
He maintained that the employees do hope that their strike action would enable the government to get arrears due to the employees and also meet other demands.
Sources said that though the Civil Secretariat employees constitute a "miniscule section" of the employees in the state, their withdrawal of strike means that the nerve centre of the government becomes functional again.
Nazir said that the Committee has appreciated the assurance given by the government to prepare a road map within three months' time to look into possibilities of disseminating the 6th pay commission arrears to the employees which was one of their prime demands.
"We don't want to let public suffer on various accounts and since the CM has provided a genuine reason of coming out with a feasible outcome through a road map for attending to our demands of payment of arrears, we have decided to resume the work," said the Union president.
Over the other demand of raising the limit of retirement age from 58 to 60 years, the president said that an assurance given by the government to take up the issue through the wider consultations involving public opinion into it also is a welcome step that Union has accepted whole heartedly.
Political Advisor to chief minister Devender Singh Rana, however, dismissed any invitation forwarded to the Civil Secretariat employees for change of mind, but clarified, "Chief Minister's appeal contained a clear message for a harmonious settling down of the issue through a road map to be prepared within three month's time, following which a solution can be found out".
Earlier, the Chief Minister has said that the Government is always open to talks and the talks can only happen after the employees call off their strike.
Talking to the media persons on the sidelines of the swearing in ceremony of the Chief Justice of J&K High Court at Raj Bhavan, here today, the Chief Minister said that the High Court has already declared the strike as illegal and so the employees should resume their duties immediately.
Answering a question from a media person, Omar said that the three main demands of the employees were enhancing the age of retirement from 58 to 60 years, release of HRA and release of arrears as per the recommendations of the 6th Pay Commission.
The Chief Minister said the issue about raising the age of retirement from 58 to 60 years needs wider consultation and public debate because it has ramifications.
On the demand of HRA, the Chief Minister said that the matter has already been decided between the Cabinet Sub-Committee and the employees. So far as the issue of arrears is concerned, Omar said it will take the Government 2 to 3 months to make a road map as to how to pay the arrears to the employees, he added.
In lieu of the above the Chief Minister advised the employees to call off their strike.
Meanwhile, the stalemate between the government and the striking employees continued for the consecutive eleventh day amid protest demonstration and 'complete lockout' in all the government and Public Sector Undertaking departments across Jammu division.
The protesting employees alleged that administration has deliberately been incorporating names in the termination list of adhoc and contractual employees, who have been performing duties regularly. They warned government to desist from such tactics of harassment and not to provoke employees.
Senior Employees Joint Action Committee (EJAC) leader Mohammed Gafoor Dar said that district administration has been making false statements that 80 percent employees have returned to work, saying that the statement was misleading and far from truth.
"No protest was organized in Jammu region today but all the government departments remained locked. It was peaceful lockout," he claimed, adding, "Employees are united and they would not return to work until their demands are accepted."
The Nurses Association Government Medical College and Hospital Jammu has threatened to 'suspend emergency services' if the detained employee leaders are not released and Essential Service Maintenance Ordinance (ESMO) is not revoked within 48 hours.
Talking to the media persons, Sunita Ashia, president of Nurses Association GMCH said that the police and administration has unnecessary been harassing employees and including those names of the employees, who were performing their duties on routine, while giving ultimatum of 48 hours to the government to accept their demands.
She alleged that even the adhoc and contractual employees working in the emergency were included in the list send to the government for termination.
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