Govt gets tough

Highlights

The State government on Saturday issued an order prohibiting with immediate effect strikes in the treasury, pay & accounts and works accounts wings in the Finance Department for the next six months. The ban comes in the backdrop of the indefinite strike launched on August 12 midnight by the AP Non-Gazetted Officers' Association, demanding that the Centre drop the plan to bifurcate Andhra Pradesh.

Imposes ESMA

Strikes banned in Finance wings for 6 months

Hyderabad: The State government on Saturday issued an order prohibiting with immediate effect strikes in the treasury, pay & accounts and works accounts wings in the Finance Department for the next six months. The ban comes in the backdrop of the indefinite strike launched on August 12 midnight by the AP Non-Gazetted Officers' Association, demanding that the Centre drop the plan to bifurcate Andhra Pradesh.

This is the first instance where the government has invoked provisions of the Essential Supplies Maintenance Act (ESMA) to make the striking employees call off their agitation, as two rounds of talks held by the Cabinet sub-committee with the Association had ended in failure. The strike has brought the government administration to a grinding halt in 13 districts in Coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema regions.

In the order issued on Saturday, Special Chief Secretary (Finance) Venkataramani Bhaskar said that the AP Treasuries and Accounts Subordinate Service, the AP Treasuries and Accounts State Service, the AP Pay and Accounts State Service, the AP Pay and Accounts Subordinate Service and the AP Works Accounts Service were declared as essential services.

No work, No Pay

  • GO 177 imposed against Seemandhra employees
  • The Rule was issued against Telangana staff earlier

Hyderabad: The state government on Saturday issued GO No 177 asking all the heads of departments to implement the “No Work No Pay” rule against all the Seemandhra employees who are on strike demanding united Andhra Pradesh. GO No. 177 was issued by Andhra Pradesh state government on April 13, 2011, to curb the strike of Telangana employees. The GO says the employees who participate in non-cooperation, resorting to actions including unconventional and different types of agitation programmes like “Strikes”, “Bandhs”, “Pen Down, Chalk Down and Tool Down” and “Non-Cooperation,” will lose their pay.

The HoDs have been asked to cut the salaries of such employees without waiting for further orders from the government. The government now decided to execute the same GO in respect of Seemandhra employees stir. The state government’s policy of reviving the rule of “No work, No Pay” and GO No. 177 had become a hot topic in Secretariat on Saturday. Salaries for August month will be decided based on the number of days they had worked. Employees cannot protest against the government during working hours by any means, including discussing about protests, singing revolutionary songs, playing music and signing in register but not working.

By implementing GO 177, the government has blocked all roads for employees to protest in a democratic way. Seemandhra employee unions demanded withdrawal of this GO and on the other hand a few employees feel that salaries are more important because their families are dependent on them. According to sources, the government has been forced to threaten the employees with the 'no work, no pay policy' as the revenue generation is getting adversely affected. Sales tax, stamps and registration, transport and excise are the departments which are worst hit.

Show Full Article
Print Article
Next Story
More Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENTS