40 pro-LDF organisations to join stir

By Our Special Correspondent

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, JAN. 9. Kerala Government employees belonging to 40 pro- LDF organisations will participate in the nation-wide strike being held tomorrow to protest against the Centre's move to privatise Government services.

They include members of the teachers and service organisations led by the Joint Council and employees of khadi and serifed sectors.

They said it is because the Centre is abdicating its responsibilities in the development and welfare areas that some departments and its permanent employees have become unnecessary to it. Consequently, the Centre has decided to abolish 3.5 lakh posts in the Central service and implement VRS for them.

There is a move to handle the work connected with pension and provident fund to some other agency. The States, other than Kerala, West Bengal and Tripura, too have started emulating the Centre's example by privatising departments, retrenching permanent employees and appointing temporary staff in their place. Hefty slashes are being made in the salary and other benefits. They gave a clean chit to the Kerala Government which, they claimed, is adopting a totally different stand.

The NGO Union heads the list of organisations which are spearheading the strike in Kerala. Meanwhile, the pro-Congress(I) NGO Association has charged vested interests, who act as if they are not aware of the demands of Kerala Government employees like raising of retirement age and release of DA arrears, with being behind the strike. It urged the Government to provide police protection to employees who report for work tomorrow.

It submitted memoranda containing this demand to the Chief Minister, the Chief Secretary and the DGP. The Association asked the Government not to evade its responsibility to provide protection to employees who want to work.

The Kerala NGO Sangh described the proposed strike as politically motivated. It contended that the issue over which the strike is being organised existed very much in Kerala Government service also. It alleged that party workers and relatives have been appointed on daily wages in many departments including the Health Services, Economics and Statistics Department and Tourism. Many industries have been closed down and 763 employees retrenched in the Government-owned Keltron. The DA due to employees is being kept blocked for the last two years and the Government is yet to take a decision on the raising of the retirement age to 60 years. It charged the State Government with adopting anti-labour stand in all areas and stressed the need for a strike against it.

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Section  : Southern States
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