KU: Contract workers re-launch agitation

The meeting held on November 17 discussed the issue and decided to hike the salary by Rs 1,500 a month from Oct 1

Even as the students of various under graduate and post-graduate courses are looking forward to writing the semester examinations that have already been delayed, the re-launching of agitation by the contract workers on Wednesday has raised further fears of delay. The workers on contract basis, who were on indefinite strike in October seeking hike in their salaries, had called off the strike following intervention by legislators Vinay Kulkarni, Veeranna Mattikatti and acting vice-chancellor S S Hugar. The political leaders had assured they would arrange to settle the issue at a special meeting of the university syndicate. However, the meeting could not take place in the first week of November.

The meeting held on November 17 discussed the issue and decided to hike the salary by Rs 1,500 a month from October 1. Not agreeing to this proposal, the contract workers have returned to agitation mode. On Wednesday, they took out a procession to deputy commissioner's office and submitted a memorandum to chief minister and higher education minister through the deputy commissioner seeking implementation of the earlier resolution of the syndicate that favoured a rise in the range of Rs 2,000-8,000, depending on the number of years of service.

The memorandum urged the minister to regularise the services of the contract workers who have been in service since the past several years. In the absence of recruitment to non-teaching posts, the university had outsourced workers by calling for tenders from the contractors. Many departments including the examination department in the university depend heavily on contract workers and their strike could hit the smooth functioning of the varsity.

Leader of the agitating workers Basavaraj Jadhav said the syndicate held on November 17 had not considered their demands and had opted to hire workers again on contract basis. "We will continue our strike till our demands are met," he said.

The strike by the contract workers demanding higher wages and payment of wages for the past three months is prompted by the apprehension that they might not get the promised hike.

The university syndicate had passed resolution on August 1 this year to increase the salary of the workers on contract basis from Rs 2,000 to Rs 8,000 depending on the number of years of service. However, the resolution could not be implemented, as the chancellor has directed the registrar (administration) not to act upon the resolutions passed in the meeting till further orders.

All the resolutions passed in August and September this year by the syndicate are still under scrutiny of the chancellor following allegations of violation of norms and till he gives a clearance, the demands of the contract workers remain unfulfilled.