ALL INDIA TRADE UNION CONGRESS Panaji, Hundreds of working-people working in various Industries, Factories, Mines, Hospitality Industry, Government Departments and autonomous bodies held a Protest Demonstration today on 18/12/2024 on the eve of 63rd Goa Liberation Day at Azad Maidan, Panaji, Goa, demanding Immediate implementation of 7th Pay Commission’s Recommendations to the employees employed in Village Panchayats in Goa; Payment of 7th Pay to Goa Dairy Employees and disbursement of pending Dearness Allowance (DA); Immediate Regularation of Contract-workers in Government Departments, No contractualisation or Outsourcing of labour in any form; Payment of Overtime wages & MACPs to River Navigation Department employees; Payment of VIIth Pay & Provident Fund (PF) Arrears to Kadamba Transport Corporation Limited (KTCL) employees; Enhancement of Salaries to Pre-Primary Helpers; Payment of Equal Pay to PWD Labour Supply Society workers in Public Works Department (PWD); Revocation of ESMA Notification Prohibiting Strike in Pharma Companies along with many other demands including Revision of Minimum Wages @ Rs 26,000/- per month and Rs. 10,000/- pension for all categories of workers.
The working people in Goa also demanded immediate scrapping of the four (4) Labour Codes. This Bill was introduced by the NDA-Government and passed in the absence of opposition MP’s without holding any debate in Parliament; a major affront and attack on the Working-Class Rights and the trade union movement. The hard-won rights, with historic battles of more than 100 years will be snatched away should these 4-Labour Codes be implemented.
Today’s struggle is also in support of the Farmers and Horticulturists of our country who are demanding that the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for their agricultural and horticultural produce be legislated and given the backing of law.
The Protest was addressed by Prasanna Utagi, R.D. Mangueshkar, Suhaas Naik, Christopher Fonseca, Rajendra Verenkar, John Clark, Chandrakant Naik, Satyendra Halankar, Abel D’silva and leaders of various unionsThe working people in Goa pledged their support to the following demands :-
DEMANDS
1. Immediate withdrawal and Revocation of the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) Notification issued by Goa Government Prohibiting STRIKES in Pharmaceutical Companies and their connected operations.
2. Stop Malafide Transfers of Pharma workers.
3. Revise the ‘Minimum Wages’ for all Schedules of Employment @Rs 26,000/- per month with periodic revision in Dearness Allowance (DA) with immediate effect.
4. Pension @ Rs 10,000/- to all categories of workers in the organized and unorganized sector.
5. Stop any move to privatize the ferry-boats operations on the riverine routes and handing-over the operations of the ferry- boats to private contractors.
6. Regularise the services of all the contract workers employed with PWD Labour Supply Society on the rolls of Public Works Department (PWD) and pay Equal Pay to Equal Work.
7. The services of Electricity Line-Helpers/Meter Readers be regularized on the rolls of Electricity Department with age relaxation.
8. Pay pending overtime wages to River Navigation Department (RND) employees.
9. Grant MACPs to all Flotilla staff in River Navigation Department (RND).
10. Urgently extend 7th Pay Commissions benefits to Goa Panchayat Employees
