Chandigarh 23rd October; There has been no breakthrough even after 3 hours marathon meeting between the representatives of PGI Employees Union and PGI management held on 22nd October from 5 PM to 8.15 PM.
The PGI management has failed to explain that why the decisions arrived at on 12th and 19th April, 2012 have not been implemented. Further, the management has failed to give any time frame to meet the demands, which has forced the Union to continue with its programnme of Candle March on 25th October in protest against the callous and indifferent attitude of PGI management against the non-faculty staff. The march will start at 5.30 PM onwards from PU Gate to Sector 17, Chandigarh.
Besides the Charter of Demands and Grievances dated 6.2.2012, it has also been decided to protest against the illegal and indiscriminate use of contract labour system for perennial nature of jobs in violation of Section 10 of Contract Labour (R&A) Act, 1970. The Union will protest against the illegal appointment of Swarnjit Singh Saini and illegal payment of salary in violation of Governing Body decision dated 28.4.2012.
The Union had submitted the charter of demands and grievances on 6.2.2012 for the kind consideration of PGI management. There have been two rounds of negotiations on 12th and 19th April, 2012 wherein a number of issues were discussed and sorted out. It was assured to implement the decisions within 15 days to 2 months. It was also decided to convene further negotiations on Part B of the charter of demands and grievances dated 6.2.2012. Neither the PGI management has kept its words to implement the decisions arrived at on 12th and 19th April, 2012 nor any further meeting has been convened after April, 2012 on the memorandum dated 6.2.2012. The repeated verbal and written requests of Union to implement the decisions and to convene further meetings have been ignored with impunity.
The Director, PGI fixed the meeting for 22nd October, 2012 after the notice for agitation was served but no amicable settlement could be arrived at in the marathon meeting.
The PGI Contract Workers Union will also participate in the candle march in support of their demands and grievances.
A senior functionary of Union will start Indefinite Hunger Fast in the second phase of agitation. The decisions for mass casual leave or go slow or pen / tool down will be taken in November, 2012