Port Blair, July 31: The workers of APWD including daily rated mazdoors will go on an indefinite strike from 10th August, 2016 to protest against the delay in implementing the Govt. of India’s order to grant the financial benefit under the scheme of 1/30th of pay plus DA, to the daily rated mazdoors working in APWD.
A notice for strike has been served on the Chief Engineer, APWD by the Andaman Sarvajanik Nirman Vibhag Mazdoor Sangh (affiliated to CITU).
Earlier, a copy of the resolutions adopted in the General Body meeting of the Andaman Sarvajanik Nirman Vibhag Mazdoor Sangh (CITU) held at Port Blair on 19th June, 2016 wherein it was urged upon the authorities in the APWD/A & N Admn to implement the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pension, Govt. of India’s order bearing OM No. 49014/2/86-Estt © dated 7th June, 1988 to extend the 1/30th of pay plus DA to the daily rated mazdoors working under the APWD, was served upon the authorities in the A & N Administration and APWD.
Finding no response on the resolutions passed in the meeting held on 19th June, 2016 and a series of letters sent to the Administration and Chief Engineer, APWD, the Union has been forced to go on agitation.
In the Notice for Strike served on the Chief Engineer, the Union has stated that almost all the 4000 odd daily rated mazdoors are working in various Divisions of APWD for a period ranging from 15 years to 5 years. The Union said that a number of other departments under the Admn had implemented the said order of the Govt. of India.
The appeal filed by the Forest Department in the Supreme Court against the Labour Court Award to implement the Govt. of India’s order on this issue has been disposed of by the Supreme Court on 19th Feb 2016. The Union has informed the Chief Engineer, APWD that if the the demand raised by the Union to implement the Govt. of India’s order, referred to above, on 1/30th of pay plus DA to daily rated mazdoors of APWD is not resolved by the above date, the workers of APWD will resort to agitation from 10th August, 2016 onwards.
