Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 22: PHE workers under the umbrella of PHE Workers Welfare Association today held a massive protest demonstration in the office premises of Chief Engineer, PHE Department, Jammu, in support of their demands.
Under the leadership of provincial president of the Association, Thakur Bakshi Singh, hundreds of field employees and workers assembled in front of the office of Chief Engineer, PHE Department, Jammu and started raising slogans against PHE administration and the State Government for their failure to release the wages of downtrodden workers of the department, who perform their duties round the clock like permanent employees.
The workers were demanding their regularization after completion of 5 years of service, disbursement of backlog wages and implementation of enhanced wages of Rs 150, Rs 175 and Rs 225 to the unskilled, ITI semi-skilled and skilled workers, respectively as per SRO-3.
They also stressed hard for convening of DPC meeting against the vacant posts so that they may be promoted for which they deserve. Besides, the Association demanded introduction of ‘Welfare Fund Scheme’ for the PHE employees and proper designation for the employees as per their assignment and qualification.
Addressing the protestors, Bakshi Singh said that the department is playing with the future of the daily wagers, who have contributed a valuable period of their lives to the department.
Alleging that the workers are being treated as bounded labourers by the administration, Singh said that even the genuine minimum wages are not being paid to these daily wagers.
Concluding the protest, Subhash Verma, general secretary warned the PHE administration and the State Government to resolve the issues of the employees by April 2, failing which the Association would be forced to adopt the hard steps.
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