Common people in Mangaluru, Udupi hit hard as govt employees go on strike

Mangaluru/ Udupi, Jun 2: Despite several warnings by the State government, the government employees registered their protest by striking work on Thursday across Karnataka including in coastal districts of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi.

The citizenry in the twin districts were affected as officials from key government establishments, participated in the strike and abstained from work.

The one-day strike was in response to the call given by the Karnataka State Government Employees' Association (KSGEA) demanding implementation of the Seventh Pay Commission recommendations.

All government offices in Mangaluru city and other parts of Dakshina Kannada district wore a deserted look on Thursday.

However, the staff at Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) resumed work after holding a token protest.

Around 400 MCC employees staged a demonstration for an hour and resumed work, said Gokuldas Nayak, MCC's Joint Commissioner. He said the employees were wearing black badges to express support to the government employees' strike.

Elsewhere, almost all government offices in the district and the city wore deserted look with employees abstaining from work.

Kumar, Additional Deputy Commissioner, said that workers on outsourced duties were on their job. Hence, counters like Bhoomi, Atalji Janasnehi Kendra etc., functioned normally and public were not affected, he said.

In Udupi too the employees registered their protest against the government. Attendance in government offices at the District Offices Complex was sparse. Only outsourced employees reported for work.

Members of district unit of Karnataka State Employees' Association staged a dharna outside the District Offices Complex. Subrahmanya Sherigar, association president, demanded pay parity in salaries of state government and union government employees.

Prakash Nayak, Dakshina Kannada district president of KSGEA said nearly two dozen States have implemented the Seventh Pay Commission but the Karnataka government has not taken a decision on bring pay scales on a par with Central government employees.

Mr. Nayak insisted that the government, while enhancing the salary, should ensure that there is no disparity in the salaries of Central and State government employees.