Com. S K Vyas addresses a Press Conference

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Shri SK Vyas, President, Confederation of Central Govt. Employees & Workers and Member JCM National Council, Govt. of India, New Delhi, while addressing a Press Conference at Port Blair today (18.04.2011) evening demanded revision of wages of central government employees after every five years as is being done in respect of public sector employees. Outlining the schedule of agitational programme during the next three months on the 14 point charter of demands submitted to the Government, Shri Vyas said that all the central government employees and workers will be made aware of the demands through an intensive campaign and the agitation will culminate with a Parliament March and, if needed, a nation-wide strike by government employees. He dealt at length the unscientific wage revision done by the Sixth Central Pay Commission. Referring to the demand of the NGOs’ Association for the upward revision of LGC and HGCs, Shri Vyas informed that the Confederation has already taken up the matter with the Govt. of India. Shri D. Ayyappan, General Secretary and Shri TS Sreekumar, Asst. General Secretary of the NGOs’ Association were also present in the Press Conference.

Earlier on the day, a meeting of the representatives of Associations and Union functioning among the employees of central government organisations in the islands and Non-Gazetted Govt. Officers’ Association was held at Port Blair in which a State Committee of the Confederation of Central Govt. Employees & Workers was formed and Shri Steephen Fernandez (of Postal Union) was elected as President while Shri D. Ayyappan (of NGOs’ Association) and Shri PA Rasheed (Doordarshan) were elected as General Secretary and Treasurer respectively. Members from each Union/Association were elected to the Committee. The State Committee will coordinate among the Unions and Associations affiliated to the Confederation on various issues and demands of government employees in the islands. Shri SK Vyas addressing the meeting emphasized the need to form such a Committee for the coordinated working of Unions and Associations.

Today (18.04.2011) evening, Shri SK Vyas accompanied by Shri D. Ayyappan, General Secretary and other leaders of the NGOs’ Association met the Chief Secretary, A & N Administration and discussed with him various problems and issues of government employees working in the islands. Shri Vyas requested the Chief Secretary to re-consider the decision of the Administration to enhance the working hours of teachers and informed the Chief Secretary that nowhere in the country the working hours of teachers has been enhanced. He said that the working hours have been increased by 25% but without any increase in the existing salary of teachers. He told the Chief Secretary to take up the matter with the Govt. of India to exempt these islands from enhancing the working hours of teachers considering the geographical condition and other practical difficulties here particularly those being faced by the women teachers. He informed the Chief Secretary that the Confederation will also take up this matter with the Govt. of India in this regard. The Chief Secretary assured Shri SK Vyas that he will consider the matter sympathetically.