NT NETWORK
PANAJI
The Goa Government Employees Association (GGEA) on Monday threatened to stage a march to the Secretariat any time after November 29 -. upon expiry of the 21-day strike notice to the government to implement 7th Pay Commission, said the president of GGEA John Nazareth.
Addressing the media, Nazareth along with secretary Eusebio Braganza, mahila chief Sneha Mandrenkar and other executive members, said that “Goa Government Employees Association members besides those working in autonomous bodies and corporations, and thus entitled to derive the 7th Pay Commission benefits should join hands in the agitation.
The GGEA committee members also demanded parity in pay scales to all government employees, complete stoppage of all service extensions, grant of group ‘C’ status to all group ‘D’ employees and also grant of pay scales of Rs 5200, 20200+ grade pay of Rs 1800 as per 6th Pay Commission and halt to recoveries from Group ‘D’ employees who were paid pay scales of Rs 5200-20200+ grade pay of Rs1800 as per the Supreme Court judgment.
Nazareth said, “We will go to the Secretariat to collect 7th Pay Commission order, and will all go together, and we will not move from there without a written order even if we are forced to remain on the roads the whole night.”
He said that as per the provisions of sub-section (1) of section 22 of Industrial Dispute Act 1947, the GGEA has served a strike notice of 21 days to the state government, and added that the period ends on November 28 and thus the GGEA will be in a position to organise a march to secretariat anytime after November 29.
Soon after the central government announcing implementation of 7th Pay Commission, the employees were quite happy to see the Chief Minister announcing on the floor of the House on August 4 that state government would also implement the same to its employees, and he had also said that a notification would be issued during Ganesh Chaturthi festival and revised salary would be paid from November with arrears from January to October, he said.
He further said that since there was no notification after the Ganesh festival, the employees throughout the state started getting panicky and questioned the GGEA.
“We then sent an email to the liaison officer of the Chief Minister on September 27, urging him to convey their desire to meet him but till date no appointment has given. But the Chief Minister had mentioned in a press briefing that the 7th Pay Commission would be implemented after Diwali in October,”he added.
