The government employees’ organizations after observing a two-day strike all over the State, and taking protest marches have called for another three-day strike from January 8, in support of their demands. For past couple of years employees have been demanding a policy for regularization of daily-wagers, ad hoc and contingent paid employees, removal of pay anomalies and enhancement of retirement age from 58 to 60 years.  The employee’s strikes seem to be an unending phenomenon that has been taking toll of the state economy.  An honest study, if conducted about the impact of these strikes on the state economy and work culture in the administration it will show alarming results. Besides, causing suffering to the people in general these strikes have cost hundreds of millions of person-days, scores of working days and millions of rupees to the state exchequer. State government has almost become immune to these strikes, dismissing them as ritualistic without realizing its negative implications. It has not been realizing that these can prove dangerous to the state’s fragile peace. 
Every big   showdown by the employees associations causes constitution of appointment of a high-level committee for looking into the grievances of the employees and ironically, for meeting it waits for another strike by the employees.  In case of enhancement of age of superannuation, a committee was appointed and it submitted its recommendations before the government but for the diarchy at the top these recommendation have been placed in deep freezer. The government without much ado should have implemented these recommendations but for its dilatory tactics and duel standards, it has been increasing frustration in its employees. On the question of releasing pay arrears to its employees, it cries hoarse about lack of resources but at same time, it allows revision to the legislators burdening the state exchequer by about ten Crores.
It is a sad situation that the state government has been recognizing dilatoriness as art of governance not realizing it has been taking toll of much needed development in the state. It is high time for the government to address the problems of the employees and evolve a mechanism within administration for timely redressing of their grievance and ending strike culture in the administration.

Lastupdate on : Mon, 17 Dec 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Mon, 17 Dec 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Tue, 18 Dec 2012 00:00:00 IST