SHILLONG: Muster roll from across the state belonging to the All Meghalaya Muster Roll Progressive Workers’ Union and other government departments including PHE, Water Resources, Forest and Horticulture began their agitation on Wednesday in view of their long pending demands.
The muster roll workers took part in black badge protests in Tura, Chokpot, Ampati, Williamnagar, Rongjeng, Baghmara, Sohiong, Sohra, Nongstoin, Mairang, Shillong and Pynursla. The union also stated that the protest will continue upto the time when the government is ready to negotiate.
It may be mentioned that most muster roll workers do not get paid regularly and many of them haven’t been paid in months.
With this in mind, the union had submitted a charter of demands to Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong and to the labour minister last December.
However, after months of not receiving any reply, the union decided to begin its agitation.
The charter includes several demands such as regular payment of wages, regularisation, equal pay for equal work, granting of statutory rights for workers like earned and casual leave, EPF, ESI benefits, granting of affordable subsidised housing for workers and proper enumeration of muster roll workers.
The union also demanded assurance from the government that muster roll workers should continue though the Meghalaya 5th Pay Commission had recommended doing away with the workers.
