JCC Mulling Indefinite Strike Option

Employees to march towards Raj Bhawan on Saturday

SRINAGAR: The Joint Consultative Committee (JCC), an amalgam of various employees associations is likely to announce an indefinite strike to press the State Government for fulfilling its demands and acting upon agreements signed between the two parties.

The amalgam had earlier called for pen down strike on December 14 and 15 and gherao of Raj Bhavan on December 15.

According to sources, the pen down strike called for by the JCC affected work in several government offices across state on Friday. Employees observed complete pen down strike while most of the employees remained absent from duties.

“JCC on Saturday is going to march from Maulana Azad Stadium Jammu to Raj Bhavan where it’ll observe Dharna and would present memorandum of demands to Governor”, the amalgam sources said.

Sources said that the JCC held an important meeting on Friday evening to frame the future programme. “JCC leaders will address press conference in Jammu on Saturday and will announce a more aggressive future programme in case government failed to implement its promises made earlier with JCC”, said Sources. “New programme will be more aggressive and it will shake the government from head to tail”, sources added.

Senior JCC leader Khursheed Aalam said that the government had failed to fulfill its promises made in the earlier written agreements and JCC had given government the ultimatum of December 15.

“We don’t want any confrontation with the government but it is the government which compels us to frame the agitation programmes as it (Government) has betrayed us time and again”, he said. Aalam warned that employees would be compelled to take forward their struggle in more aggressive manner and government would be solely responsible for any inconvenience caused to the general masses.

JCC spokesperson Farooq Trali confirmed that the amalgam is holding a press conference on Saturday. He did not rule out the possibility of an indefinite strike either. “Option of indefinite strike has been under consideration of JCC since long and it may be announced, if need arises”, said Trali.

He said, “The employees will stay away from the work and stage demonstrations to press the government to fulfil for their demands”, adding that employees will also march towards Rajbhavan on Saturday and will present memorandum of demands to Governor”.

Trali alleged that the Srinagar Jammu National Highway was deliberately announced closed by government to stop the employees from Kashmir to enter into Jammu who were scheduled to participate in the programme on Saturday.

Accusing the NC-led coalition government of betraying employees, he said the agreements signed between government and employee’s representatives on 30th September 2011 and 30 March 2012 were not implemented, forcing them to adopt agitation path. “In the written agreement on 8th July 2012, government agreed and accepted to fulfill the demands which include: Enhancement of retirement age from 58 to 60, pay anomalies and regularization of daily wagers but in its all agreements government betrayed the employees”, said JCC spokesperson. 

“Protest demonstrations are soul of democracy and it is the legitimate right of every citizen to raise their voice by holding protest demonstration. We would continue to stage protests to press government to fulfill our demands in more aggressive manner,” he added. 

Pertinently, employees are demanding enhancement of retirement age 58 to 60 years, removal of pay anomalies, regularization of all daily wagers and release of 6th Pay Commission arrears. Government at various occasions has sought time from JCC leaders to fulfill employee’s demands and in return assured implementation of agreements entered between JCC representatives and government. JCC had announced December 15 ultimatum to government to meet with its demands. KNS

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