GUWAHATI: A meeting was held in the Residence Conference Hall between Siddhartha Bhattacharya, Guwahati Development Department (GDD) Minister, and the representatives of various unions affiliated to the workers of Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC).
The minister welcomed all the members present in the meeting and asked the representative of the unions to elaborate their demands.
Chandan Sarmah, General Secretary (GS), Guwahati Municipal Karmi Sangha, described the outcome of the last meeting held with the GMC Commissioner on the demands of the unions and expressed his displeasure as that meeting had ended halfway.
Their combined demands were explained in detail by Balendra Bharali, Advisor of the Combined Union of Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC). He read out the notification of the Staffing Pattern published in 2014 notified by the government.
The union sought an Action Taken Report against the representation submitted by the Convenor of four unions of GMC on 6th October, 2016.
Why are the workers protesting?
The Guwahati Municipal Karmi Sangha (GMKS) and other workers affiliated with the unions had earlier called for an indefinite strike starting from January 27, 2020. The other unions who have joined the strike include Water Supply Workers' Union, Harijan Majdoor Union, All Assam Harijan Majdoor Union, and Technical Officers' Union, Karikari Bishaya Santha.
The major demands included:
1. Regularization of the workers based on the 2014 General Meeting of the Council, which demanded 939 temporary contractual workers to be made regular.
2. Pension for the retired and deceased workers
3. They further demand purified drinking water and better streetlights for Guwahatians.
4. Workers' EPF and GPF Fund Release to their EPF and GPF Account.
5. Promotion based on qualification and age.
6. Make arrangements for the payment of municipal employees' pension as a grant by the state government.
The government gives nod of the demands
After a detailed discussion, the following decisions are taken:
1. In the Staffing Pattern, 2,706 posts were proposed. Out of this, 1,099 of regular employees are already working in GMC. It has also been decided to initiate the process for regularization of the remaining all 1,607 of posts as per Staffing Pattern. It is asked to complete the process by 10th February, 2021.
2. The GDD minister also directed the GMC commissioner that the regularization will be based on educational qualification in phased manner.
3. The GDD minister asked the unions to submit a detailed representation of the Staffing Pattern mentioning all details, present nature of work, qualification and tenure of service in the corporation at the earliest possible time.
4. Some posts are mentioned as ‘on deputation posts’ in the Staffing Pattern. The GDD minister asked the unions to submit a detailed representation so that the working employees who meet the required qualification can be accommodated in the said posts by GMC itself.
5. The minister also asked the unions to submit suggestions against additional posts on the Staffing Pattern keeping in view the growing activities of the corporation in the next 10 years so that the same can be approved by the government.
6. The minister also assured to the unions that no temporary employee will be terminated irrespective of regularisation.
7. Regarding the Pension, the GDD minister asked the commissioner, GMC to provide the status of fund. The commissioner of GMC assured that once fund is received by the corporation from the transport department on Motor Vehicle Tax, the pension will be regularly disbursed.
8. The minister informed that sufficient streetlights have been installed in recent times to which the union members agreed. Regarding drinking water, it is informed that supply of drinking water from the new projects is in progress in different localities based on demand.
9 The GDD minister enquired on EPP and GPI status from the commissioner, GMC. The commissioner of GMC subsequently informed that the same will be regularized within a short period.
10. The GDD Minister assured initiative for the creation of corpus fund for payment of pension etc. At the end all the members or the union offered sincere gratitude for considering all the demands within the time frame.