Tura, Sept 21: The icy cold relationship between the Executive Committee and the striking employees of the GHADC over pay disparity has finally thawed with the former conceding to the staff demand for payment of salaries under the new 5th pay scale.
Chief Executive Member Albinush R Marak has issued a notification announcing that one month of pending salaries would be immediately released under the 5th pay scale.
Though the announcement of the new pay scale is being deemed a “victory” for the striking employees who had refused to budge from the stand despite multiple reconciliatory moves by the Albinush Marak led Executive Committee, yet it also comes with a price.
In place of the three months salary release assured by the EC under the existing 4th pay scale, which was rejected by the striking staff, the workers will now receive just one month of dues in the new scale
“We had obtained the required money to release three months salary under the old scale but they (staff) insisted on the new scale. Now the funds are insufficient to clear beyond one month,” informed a member of the Executive Committee.
Under the new pay scale the GHADC requires approximately 6 Crores for pay disbursement.
“In place of three months, the staff are now getting just one month. Our EC was ready to provide them with 5th pay scale beginning from January of 2025,” said the EC member.
There is no surety given when the next pay package will come in as the GHADC revenue collection is miniscule and largely depends on government bailouts.
Keeping this in mind, the council authorities have mentioned in their latest notification that “All arrears shall be paid as and when the fund position permits.”
The over 1000 employees of the GHADC have dues dating as far back as 35 months. In protest, they had gone on an indefinite strike for four long weeks, this month.
The Albinush Marak led Executive Committee (EC) had tried to placate them through talks and announcement of three months pay, but was rebuked by the striking workers until now.
And clearly there are no winners on either side.
