Jammu/Srinagar, Apr 27: Jammu and Kashmir government would hold fresh round of talks with the employees’ unions, on April 29, a day before the annual Darbar moves to summer capital.
An official spokesman said the cabinet sub-committee constituted to discuss the employees’ demands with the representatives of various employees’ unions met here this evening under the chairmanship of Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah as a follow up action on his previous announcement to hold dialogue with them.
The Chief Minister, according to the spokesman, asked the committee, headed by Finance Minister, A R Rather to resume the dialogue with the unions forthwith.
The talks are likely to be held on April 29 at Jammu, he added. Sources said the cabinet sub-committee discussed the current situation. “The committee unanimously agreed to hold fresh round of talks with the employees’ unions, including Joint Consultative Committee (JCC), Employees Joint Action Committee (EJAC) and Non-Gazetted Civil Secretariat Employees Unions, before the final report could be submitted to the Chief Minister,” they added.
“The committee has extended invitation for fresh talks to the employees unions for April 29”, one of the committee members and minister for PHE, Irrigation and Flood Control Taj Mohi-ud-Din said.
He said that the committee would hold detailed deliberation on all issues with the employees. “Our effort will be to address all the issue confronting them”, he said adding that both the sides are expected to enter into the negotiations with an open mind.
It was reliably learnt that the meeting, which continued for around one hour, also discussed the April 8 circular regarding `No Work No Wages’ and revocation of Essential Service Maintenance Act (ESMA). However, no consensus on the issues emerged and the matter is now likely to be discussed in the cabinet meeting scheduled on April 29.
Meanwhile, J&K EJAC (collective leadership) leader,
Gulzar Ahmad Banday confirmed that they had received the invitation. “We received the invite from General Administration Department late in the evening,” Banday told Greater Kashmir.
However, Joint Consultative Committee member and EJAC (K) president, Khursheed Alam said, “We have not  received any invite yet. If and when we are invited, we will go for talks with an open mind,” he said.
Another senior member of  Joint Consultative Committee and EJAC (Q) president, Abdul Qayoom Wani also said that they had not received any invitation till late in the evening.
Qayoom said that government had to revoke “no work, no pay” circular.
Pertinently, more than 4.5 lakh Jammu and Kashmir government employees had gone on 12-day strike from April 3 demanding release of their pending arrears and enhancement of the retirement age from 58 to 60-yrs. The strike ended following assurances by the Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah, that their demands would be met.

Lastupdate on : Tue, 27 Apr 2010 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Tue, 27 Apr 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Wed, 28 Apr 2010 00:00:00 IST