Tuesday, February 26, 2008

Striking secretariat workers thinking of mass voluntary retirement, No sight of rapprochement from govt side too

IMPHAL, Feb 25: Striking employees of the Manipur secretariat services have resolved to apply for mass voluntary retirement if the state government does not consider meeting their demand as the ceasework launched by them entered the eighth day Monday with no government response so far.

In the meantime, talks between representatives of the striking association, MSSA and the state government led by cheif minister O Ibobi Singh was held today. However, it was not revealed what transpired at the meeting.

Another high level meeting of commissioners, secretaries and principal secretaries of the state government was also held in the afternoon today at the old secretariat building to discuss the situation arising out of the eight day long ceasework strike of the MSSA.

Today, striking employees who attended office but did not work, were turned out by the authorities of the general administrative department using security personnel deployed inside the three blocks of the Manipur secretariat.

The employees who were turned out from their office rooms Monday gathered at a house at Yaiskul and considered the future course of action that would be taken to denounce the state government’s silence.
Members of the Manipur Secretariat Drivers Association who had extended their support to the cause of the MSSA also attended the meeting and assured full cooperation to the MSSA.

Speaking at the meeting, the president of the Manipur Secretariat Service Association under which the employees are on strike said the government instead of responding to the demand of the employees are remaining mute spectators.


While asking the employees to stand united and fight till their demands are fulfilled, he urged the members of MSSA to be careful of the rumors spread from the government’s side and strictly follow the do’s and don'ts which MSSA had earlier announced.

The MSSA has been asking the striking employees to attend office on time but not to work and not to cause any damage to government property.

On the sidelines of the meeting, MSSA representatives told journalists that if the state government remained adamant they would consider taking voluntary retirement.

The employees would take a decision soon for submission of mass voluntary retirement, they said.

The employees are demanding review of the state government order for fresh recruitment of 25 section officers of the state secretariat service lamenting that it would amount to curtailing the line of promotion of the lower ranked employees.

Revealing that there are 51 section officers in the state secretariat, the strking employees asked why the state government was trying to recruit fresh ones even though the number was enough.

There are altogether 790 employees of different categories under the rank of section officers in the Manipur secretariat excluding the 51 section officers. Apart from this drivers who have extended solidarity to the ceasework strike have suspended duty since February 20.

Currently, all the officers, MLAs and ministers of the state are utilizing private drivers hired by themselves while performing their duties and attending office.

IFP

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