Shillong Dec 11: The All Meghalaya Muster Roll Progressive Workers’ Union (AMMRPWU) along with Workers’ Power of Meghalaya (WPM) and Thma U Rangli-Juki (TUR) met Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong on Tuesday and highlighted their charter of demands which included several demands including regular payment of wages, regularization, Equal Pay for Equal Work among others.
The other demands include, granting of statutory rights for workers like earned and casual leave, EPF, ESI benefits, granting Affordable Subsidized Housing for Workers, proper enumeration of muster roll workers and also seeking assurance from the government that muster rolls should not be scrapped, as was recommended by the Meghalaya 5th Pay Commission.
The Deputy Chief Minister, reassured the Union that the Government would not scrap the service of muster rolls as was recommended by the Meghalaya 5th Pay Commission.
On the issue of wages, he said that since muster roll workers came under Non-planned funding, monthly payment was not possible but he assured that wages would be paid at least every three months.
Regarding statutory benefits, Tynsong assured that the Labour Department would give necessary directives to the various departments to ensure workers are given the benefits.
He also assured that proper enumeration of all muster roll workers would be done to ensure transparency and proper verification of the workers.
On Affordable Subsidized Housing for workers, which has been a major demand of Workers Power of Meghalaya, Tynsong said that the Government is in the process of starting it in the interest of all workers in the state in general.
The Union also pressed that the demands should be taken seriously and the Labour Department and the Government should take heed of the rights of the workers and ensure that the demands are met in the immediate future.