Shillong Dec 17: The agitating muster roll workers have temporarily suspended their indefinite hunger strike following the state government’s assurance to hold a meeting with them on December 21.

Under the banner of the Jaiñtia Public Works Department Muster Roll Workers & Labour Union (JPWDMRWLU), the indefinite hunger strike was staged as a mark of protest against the government adamant attitude towards its various demands.

These include implementation of the Meghalaya Regular Casual Worker Scheme, 1996 and the proposal for hiking the wages of the muster roll workers besides others.

Hundreds of muster roll workers coming from the two districts of Jaiñtia Hills took part in the demonstration at the parking lot near Additional Secretariat in the city on Monday.

“We have decided to temporarily suspend our agitation after the deputy chief minister Prestone Tynsong, who is also in-charge of Labour department, has assured to meet us on Friday,” vice president of the Union D Iakai said.

She said the union will decide on its next course of action based on the outcome of the upcoming meeting.

Earlier while speaking to reporters, president of the union Khroolamsalanki Pariat said the decision to stage the hunger strike protest was after the ten days deadline served by the union in a memorandum submitted to the chief minister had expired on December 12.

Pariat informed that the labour department had on June 13 this year proposed to increase the wages of the unskilled workers to Rs 300 per day. However, prior to this there was also an order issued on April 1 which stated that the wages will be increased to Rs 196 per day.

“But unfortunately, the department had failed to implement the proposal which prompted us to demand that if the government is facing financial problem, then it should consider implementing its order for hiking the wages to Rs 196 per day,” he said.

Also demanding the implementation of the schemes under the Meghalaya Building & Other Constructions Welfare Board in letter and spirit, Pariat said the department is yet to release funds for the scheme relating to the educational welfare of the children of such workers for the past three years from 2016-2018.

He further alleged the cheques issued by the department for the purpose had to be returned to the Deputy Labour Commissioner after the banks had rejected them citing there has been “mismatched of signatures” from the authorities of the Board.

“When the matter was brought to his notice, the deputy chief minister had then asked us to immediately meet the Commissioner and Secretary,” Pariat said.

He also urged the government to consider releasing the 6-7 months pending wages of workers of the different departments taking into account that Christmas is coming.

With regards to the Meghalaya Regular Casual Workers Scheme, 1996, Pariat said that muster roll workers who have been working for the past 10 years should be promoted as regular casual workers (RCWs) if there is 50 per cent vacancy in Grade IV posts.

The other demands of the union include maternity, casual and earned leave to be extended for muster roll workers.

Meanwhile, there are around 2,000 muster roll workers in Jaiñtia Hills working in different departments.