Port Blair, Oct 25: Mr. TSG Bhasker, State President, Indian National Trades Union Congress (Federation) has taken up various issues related to the employees working in the Afloat and Dockyard Section of DSS with the Director of Shipping Services, A&N Administration
In the letter, Mr. Bhasker stated that the contract employees working in the Afloat Section of DSS are working continuously without pay even during their break period. However, they are not getting salary for their break period.
He added that the contract employees are working continuously for more than 15 hours daily with a meager salary and no over-time allowances which is against the labour law.
Mr. Bhasker suggested the DSS to monitor the attendance of contract employees with Biometric Device as done in the case of permanent employees to know the actual working hours.
He said “The Overtime allowances for the regular employees was fixed at Rs. 16 + for more than 30 years ago and needs to be revised as per the prevailing market price index”.
Mr. Bhasker cautioned the DSS that if the OT allowance is not re-fixed then the union members and employees will be constrained to work only in the duty hours.
“The permanent employees are provided safety equipments to protect themselves but the contract employees are not given safety equipments. Does this mean that the lives of contract employees are not important to the department”, asked Mr. Bhasker.
He further requested the DSS for providing sea service to the contract employees in the same lines of permanent employees. He also brought light on the poor living condition of employees on board the vessels and the deplorable condition of facilities provided to them.
Concluding his letter, Mr. Bhasker also pointed out few issues such as non-providing of hard area allowances including Accomodation, Mess, TA, DA to contract employees who are transferred to other Islands, Filling up of vacant posts in DSS and timely promotion of experienced staffs to higher positions.
Hence, he requested the Director of Shipping Services to take positive steps to address the genuine issues of the Afloat and Dockyard employees of DSS.
