Meghalaya: NEHU contract workers stage ‘pen down’ protest over wages

From Our Correspondent, TNT News | Tura, Oct 09, 2018: 

Irked with the "adamant attitude" of North Eastern Hill University (NEHU) Tura Campus to respond to their demands on the increase of wages as per the Central government directive, the contractual workers of the varsity staged a 'Pen/Tool Down' protest.

The two day protest (Oct 9,10) began today and will continue tomorrow as workers seek their rightful compensation.

Last month, non regular workers of the University wore black badges to protest the continued neglect allegedly shown by authorities to the cause of the workers in question and for failing to implement the UGC directions on pay. They had also written to the VC of NEHU seeking wages at par with the directions by the centre.

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"NEHU is sitting over an instruction from the University Grants Commission (UGC) for over 2 years which clearly directs the VC to implement an order issued by Ministry of Labour and Employment, Government of India. These self-serving top officials of NEHU have no time to read the instruction from New Delhi and this has led to a lot of resentment and anger among different categories of temporary employees," said the protesting employees.

"A series of requests from contract and outsourced employees have fallen on deaf ears and we are under compulsion to agitate. Our two day 'Black Badge' protest had no effect on the administration. They were rather busy in spreading misinformation against employees and also trying to mislead the outsourcing agencies. We will look at further agitations if authorities do not act on instruction from New Delhi," added the employees.

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The protestors had earlier informed the administration of NEHU on their protest in the hope of a solution to the problems being faced. A letter had also been sent to the PVC, NEHU Tura Campus on Oct 5 but it still made no headway.

The non regular employees had decided to protest in various forms after a meeting between them on Sep 13.

"From their reluctance in giving us our due it feels more like they are paying us from their own pockets. We can't believe that they aren't able to understand where and what our demands are. There is already an order from the central government to pay us as per the CPC, so why is it becoming difficult for them to pay us our dues," stated the employees.

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