IMPHAL, February 5: Agitating employees of the nine municipal councils of the state today took on a different path making their demands by announcing that they have decided to vote against the ruling party.
With the Lok Sabha polls slated later this year, election fever had already been felt in the state. However, the consolidated decision of the municipal council employees has certainly added to the fervour ahead of the polls.
Addressing media persons today at the Manipur Press Club, general secretary, Joint Coordination Committee on All Manipur Municipal Council, Phuritsabam Chaoba said the employees have been on a cease-work strike since December 17, 2013 demanding the implementation of the 6th Pay Commission.
However, there has been no positive response from the government’s side even though the strike has completed 51 days, he asserted.
The committee of the employees will further launch other forms of intense agitation if the government fail to respond positively to their demands at the earliest, he continued.
Although the employees had believed that since the state chief minister was in charge of the MAHUD portfolio, the employees would not face any problem, but in contrary, the employees are even unable to meet the chief minister due to his busy schedule, he lamented.
The employees are unable to meet him and highlight their issues and grievance to the CM, he further continued.
The employees feel neglected by the CM, he said and further continued that he has failed to take up any steps for the welfare of the municipal council employees.
There are around 400 regular staff altogether in the nine councils, however, even the chairpersons of the councils have continued to neglect them, he further lamented.
Since, the regular employees of the Imphal Municipal Council are on a cease-work strike, the musterroll employees of the IMC have been deployed on a day to day wage system for the cleaning of garbage in the Imphal areas, he said and added if the council can do with only the muster roll employees, than it is better to remove the regular staff.