TURA, April 22: Attempts to end the months-long strike of the GHADC employees through dialogues by the new Chief Executive Member (CEM), Benedic Marak, fell flat on Thursday as the protesting staff remained unmoved with their stand for the release of their pending salaries.
Shortly after the election of the new CEM on Thursday morning, leaders of the protesting Non-Gazetted Employees’ Association (NGEA) called on Marak at his office chamber. It was during the meet, Marak exhorted the protesting employees to pull the plug on their strike and return to their work stations with a hope that normalcy will return to the GHADC, after almost four months of closure. “I requested them to return to their duties so that we can all try and find a solution to their problems. It looks like they will need a few more days’ time,” said Marak.He also pointed out that the strike has started affecting the protesting employees themselves with many keen to return to work with fears that they will not get paid for the weeks they did not report to work owing to the protest.
“As many as 70 per cent of employees, who had joined the strike, are ready to return to duties and only a small number is opposing and creating obstacles. We will wait and see,” said Marak, reiterating that the district council needs to generate revenue for its survival and the survival of its workers.
The protesting employees, under the umbrella of the NGEA, are pushing for the release of their pending salaries and the ouster of the Council Secretary, whose “reforms” have received dissent by the agitating body.
