More than two lakh contractual employees under the Government of Madhya Pradesh are now ready for a showdown with the State Government over regularisation of services and implementation of ‘equal pay for equal work’.
Affirming this State president of Madhya Pradesh Contract Employees and Officers Federation said on Sunday that the federation would stage a dharna in the State capital on Tuesday in protest against the ‘rigid attitude’ of the State Government on the long standing demand of the contractual employees.
He further highlighted that the federation was demanding that all contract employees should be regularised and their salaries should be made at par with the regular employees and also that these employees who have been unjustly removed from service should be reinstated.
“If the Government can consider regularisation of contract teachers and gurujis who are appointed by the local bodies and panchayats, why is discriminating against usIJ We have been appointed after clearing exams conducted by the Government and we have same qualifications as the regular employees do, yet the Government is ignoring our demand,” Rathore said.
Rathore alleged that due to their contractual status, the employees were exploited by senior officials who exercised control over appointment and renewal of the contract.
“Contract employees are treated like slaves. The sword of termination of contract always hinges on the neck of contract employees. They have to kow-tow their seniors to save their jobs. There have been cases when contract employees have been forced to hand over one month salary to the senior to get the contract renewed. If this is the case with male employees one can only imagine what our female counterparts must be suffering,” he said.
Alleging that the plea of the Government about shortage of funds was a farce, he said, “If the Government is short of funds, it should also employ high officials on contract and they should not be provided with costly amenities.”
The federation has announced that in case the Government fails to respond to their demands, all the contract employees in the state will take mass leave on August 1 and this would be followed by indefinite strike from August 5. The agitation has been supported by several recognised employee unions including MP Class III Employees Association.