Tourism employees hold protest

Seek regularisation of services and rationalisation of wages Vijayawada: The Andhra Pradesh Tourism Contract, Manpower, Daily wage Employees and Workers Union here on Friday staged a protest at the tourism office seeking regularisation of their services and rationalisation of wages. The employees, led by the CITU, held silent protest against the indifferent attitude of the State government and the Tourism Department. The Union secretary, P Vasu, told the media that the government had accepted their demands and an agreement was also signed on October 16, 2012. However, till date, the government did not act on the agreement, he said and regretted that senior officers in the department were opposing regularisation of services of the employees. He alleged that the government had given it in writing to settle their demands by January 1, 2013. But, till date, the government did not act on the promise, he regretted. He claimed that the employees who were on contract basis were responsible for the success of the department. However, their contribution was not being recognised, he said. He said that the government was holding international tourism conference in Hyderabad and had won six awards at national-level in tourism. He wanted to know whether the Tourism Department had won these awards without the contribution of these employees. Vasu said that the government did not pay wages to the contract and daily wage workers in the department for the past three months. He demanded that the government release the wages at the earliest. The AP Contract and Outsourcing Employees Federation secretary, T Prabhudas, who was also present accused the State government of privatising every department and thus exploiting the employees. He said that every department was now being filled with contract workers or staff on outsourcing basis to avoid payment of minimum wages. He asked the government to regularise the contract and outsourcing employees and pay salaries to them on par with the other employees. The CITU city secretary, MV Sudhakar, union leader P K Rathaiah and others spoke. Meanwhile, the Telugu Desam Krishna district unit president and Mylavaram legislator, Devineni Umamaheswara Rao, visited the hunger strike camp and extended support to the agitating employees. Addressing them, the TD leader alleged that the government was not ready to pay salaries to the employees but was allowing ministers and leaders to loot the State. He alleged that the government was neglecting every section of the society and was only concerned about their party leaders and power. While extending support to them, he asked the employees to continue the struggle till their demands were accepted. TD leader Buddha Venkanna and others also visited the hunger strike camp and extended support to the striking employees.