Various political parties have decided to meet chief minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy to discuss and come up with a solution to the problems faced by 108 services employees.
The 108 Services Employees Union has started a dharna on July 18 demanding payment of minimum wages, reduction of work hours from 12 to 8.
As the government is not coming forward for talks with the union, the political parties expressed solidarity with the agitating employees by organising a roundtable conference at CITU city office, Golconda chowrastha.
The union members alleged that GVK EMRI authorities are filing false cases against them and resorting to atrocities. B Chandraiah, AITUC state vice-president, said all political parties and trade unions will fight together till the problem is solved. “To suppress the dharna, the government is arresting the employees and dismissing them from jobs,” said DV Krishna, CPI-ML state secretariat member. He expressed full support to the employees on behalf of his party.
D Ramu, Lok Satta greater Hyderabad president, said the government’s move to recruit people from other states to replace the protesting employees is not wise as the present employees are educated in life and health sciences and know how to handle health crisis situations.
“We delayed the protest for a long time as it might affect people’s lives, but we had to resort to this step as it is effecting our lives,” said Bhoopal, honorary president of the union. If the government concedes to the demand of minimum wages and 8 hours work, they are ready to report to duty, he said.
Representatives of political parties present at the conference decided to rope in other political parties to strengthen the union’s protest.