SHILLONG: Health and Family Welfare Minister of Meghalaya, A.L. Hek hopes to resolve the issue and bring the two warring groups – GVK management and the employees – to the round table of negotiation.
Speaking to reporters, he said that since he was the minister- in-waiting for the arrival of the president, Ram Nath Kovind on November 4 and would be busy on November 3 and 4. In this connection, he will send a letter to the GVK management by November 5.
He said that the demands of the Meghalaya EMRI Workers’ Union have nothing to do with the state government but they have to take it up to GVK management.
He was apprised of the issues by the Meghalaya EMRI Workers Union such as labour laws, working conditions, understaffed, increment and arrears that they haven’t received since 2017 that has not been cleared, safety for women staff.
The minister claimed that the talks were positive and said that for those who are getting weak following the hunger strike, the minister assured that better treatment would be given to them.
The union was accompanied by central body leaders of Khasi Students’ Union (KSU), Federation of Khasi Jaintia Garo People (FKJGP) to meet the Health Minister.
President of EMRI, Roipar Kharraswai said he the meeting was not a positive one and asserted that the employees were being exploited.
“Because of the government’s mistake, we are bearing the brunt. The state government has to solve the predicament we are in”, he said.
He said the agitating employees were waiting for the Round Table meeting and expressed apprehension on the outcome of the meeting.
Kharraswai broke down in tears and said that some of his colleagues were hospitalized. After the briefing the press, a few of the members from the EMRI union also broke down in tears.
Till date, eight of the agitating employees have been hospitalized and some are in serious condition. He added that after 4 days of indefinite hunger strike, some of them are showing signs of weakness.
General secretary of FKJGP, Dundee Cliff Khongsit spoke about the maintenance of 108 ambulance vehicles which has posed a risk for the patients and the employees of the ambulance service.
He observed that the GVK employees were being harassed with additional work burden in addition to their overtime workload which does not commensurate with labour laws.
He said, “Government should not sponsor any company that wants to work in the state without condition. The state has to monitor from time to time and see that the employees are not suppressed.”
Khongsit said that the agreement with the GVK was valid till 2021 and said that the government could not terminate it immediately as procedures will have to be followed.
He added that the organizations supporting the union were in favour of finding ways and means if the state government could not take over the emergency cell. He added it would be appropriate to do so as the GVK neglected the areas from time to time.
“We hope the state government play a vital role that the employees of the GVK should be retained by a new company as they are overage, we requested to give preference to the employees to the ones who are experienced”, he added
On the other hand, he said that there would be a Cabinet meeting to get expert views to find out whether there is any possibility for the government to run the emergency cell.