Workers should stand united on demands, seize them if demands remain ignored: CM

NAMCHI, 02 May: The All Sikkim Democratic Labour Front, labour wing of the ruling party, organised May Day events across the state on Monday. The observance here at Temi had Chief Minister Pawan Chamling, who is also the ASDLF president, as the chief guest.
Addressing the gathering at Lameytar ground of the Temi Tea Estate, the Chief Minister highlighted that he has always supported the working class and has been fighting for their rights throughout his political career. He also invited the workers to fight for their rights, urging them to first demand, and if denied, take their rights with force.
Informing the gathering about his mission to make Sikkim a Poverty Free State by 2015, the Chief Minister sought the support of Sikkim’s working class to meet this goal.

He also advised them to stand united for their rights and not get divided by caste, creed, race or religion.
Further contending that he has fulfilled all promises made to the working class in the past, he invited them to compare facilities and rights enjoyed by them now, under the SDF Government, to their condition under past regimes to decide for themselves who looked out for them better.
The Chief Minister also issued a clear warning to private companies here not to make labourers work for more than 8 hours a day and in the event that they were made to work for longer hours, pay them Over-Time wages as prescribed by the State Government.
Further, he advocated the removal of labour contractors from the hiring process, lashing out at them as middle-men who were earning usurious profits from the sweat of labourers without contributing anything to their welfare.
With regard to muster roll and work charge employees, the Chief Minister announced that a policy decision has been taken to give 50 % preference to them in interviews to fill permanent posts in their respective departments.
Stating that at present most of the skill-related jobs, which paid better wages, were going to workers from outside the state, he urged local workers to undergo the various skill development courses being offered by the State government.
On the occasion, the Chief Minister also assured to fulfil all demands placed by the area MLA earlier, on behalf of the workers here.
The area MLA, BS Pant, in his address earlier, placed a demand for the consruction of 50 residential quarters for tea garden workers, a community centre, proper drinking water supply and LPG connections for the 250 labourers at the tea estate.
Representing ASDLF, MB Dahal informed that some companies have not signed an MoU with the State Government, an oversight he blamed on slackness of the concerned departments.
Recalling the two days Sikkim Bandh on 04 and 05 April, he said that this bandh, called for the welfare of the labourers of the state, was a grand success.
Representing the MR and work charge employees association, Pema Doma Bhutia placed grievances and demands which the Chief Minister later assured to fulfil.