SRINAGAR, Sep 15: The Government Employees Joint Action Committee-Reform (EJAC-R) on Tuesday organised a massive protest-cum-dharna at the Agriculture Complex, Lal Mandi, Srinagar, with more than 700 government employees, daily wagers and workers from various departments and categories participating.
The protest was led by EJAC-R President Babu Hussain Malik, along with General Secretary Muzafer Nabi, Senior Vice President Muzafer Ahmad Ganei, Vice President Umar Bhat and other senior office-bearers and representatives of the Joint Action Committee.
Addressing the gathering, the EJAC-R leadership highlighted the long-pending issues confronting government employees, daily wagers and different categories of workers across Jammu and Kashmir. The leaders maintained that the genuine demands of employees and workers could not be kept pending indefinitely and urged the government to take immediate and concrete steps towards their resolution.
The protesters raised several demands, including regularisation of all categories of daily wagers and workers engaged in government departments and institutions on a fair and time-bound basis.
They also demanded immediate implementation of the Minimum Wages Act for eligible workers, stating that those engaged on daily-wage, contractual and other non-regular arrangements should receive legally protected and dignified wages.
Another major demand was the early implementation of the 8th Pay Commission recommendations in Jammu and Kashmir, keeping in view the aspirations and financial concerns of government employees.
The EJAC-R also extended support and solidarity to the ongoing agitation of NHM employees and urged the government to initiate meaningful dialogue with them and resolve their legitimate demands at the earliest.
The leaders said thousands of workers across Jammu and Kashmir have been rendering essential services for years without adequate job security, regularisation or wages. They urged the government to adopt a humanitarian and employee-friendly approach and address these concerns through a clearly defined and time-bound mechanism.
The EJAC-R leadership further emphasised that employees and workers are the backbone of public service delivery and that resolving their genuine grievances would not only provide relief to their families but also strengthen the overall administrative system.
The protest concluded with the participating employees and leadership reiterating their resolve to pursue their demands through democratic, peaceful and constitutional means.
EJAC-R appealed to the government to initiate immediate dialogue with representatives of employees and workers and take tangible steps towards resolving their long-pending issues.