Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Sept 25: PHE daily wagers and CP/ITI/Land cases workers under the aegis of PHE Employees Association went on 72-hour ‘Kaam Choro Hartal’ from this evening over non-release of 56-60 months wages.
Earlier, in the morning, Som Nath, senior trade union leader, while addressing a press conference at Udhampur said that all the members of Water Works (PHE) Employees Association, Jammu province had unanimously decided that all the daily wage employees of the Department will go on 72-hour strike from 8 pm today.
He said that the Government has once again forced the daily wage employees to resort to path of agitation as for last 56-60 months they are without salaries due to which they are unable to meet their both ends meet. The families of the daily wagers are on the verge of starvation but the Government has no time to think about the conditions of poor workers despite so many protests, dharnas, strikes and requests.
Som Nath reiterated demands of the workers including release of all pending wages immediately and keeping separate wage head in UT budget in future so that timely wages to workers may be given. He also stressed for regularization of CP/ITI/land cases workers who have completed 7 years of service and paying minimum wages to the workers at the rate of Rs 600 per day.
Stating that there is acute shortage of staff in the Department as near about 100 employees have retired from the Department in last few months and no single person has been appointed, Som Nath appealed the authorities to remove shortage of staff for smooth functioning of departmental services.
He also emphasized that designation of employees should be changed as per nature of working as it has no financial burden on the Department. He also demanded implementation of Minimum Wages Act and biometric attendance and maintenance of record of the imprest workers serving in the Department.
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