Public representatives hold meeting with agitating hawkers

Journalists' Forum Assam (JFA) and some residents of Guwahati today held a meeting with the representatives of All Guwahati Hawkers' Association and discussed to find an amicable solution to their demands and bring an end to the strike.
At a meeting in the Guwahati Press Club, Hawkers' Association president Dilip Barman and general secretary Kamaluddin Ahmed agreed to abide by any decision mutually agreed by the public representatives with the All Guwahati Newspaper Agents' Association and the newspaper house owners.
Expressing happiness at the co-operative attitude of the Hawkers' Association, the public representatives recorded their strong resentment at the "uncooperative attitude" of the newspaper agents who refused to come to the negotiation table, a JFA statement said.

The newspaper agents were also unreachable on the plea that the matter was taken up by the Labour Tribunal and the state government yesterday prohibited continuance of the hawkers strike, the statement said.
The newspaper owners' representatives were ready to join the talks though it did not materialise due to the newspaper agents' refusal to cooperate, it added.
The public representatives appealed to the Hawkers' Association to temporarily withdraw their agitation and allow the public representatives to hold further discussions with the newspaper agents and newspaper owners to bring an early amicable solution to the matter.

The government had yesterday prohibited the continuance of the strike since February 16 with immediate effect in exercise of the powers conferred under Section 10 (3) of the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947.

The move comes after the dispute between the management of the Hawkers Association and Newspaper Agents Association was referred for adjudication to the Industrial Tribunal.
The hawkers five-point charters of demand include raising of their commission to 35 per cent and provision of medical benefits for the old and sick hawkers.
The JFA yesterday urged the Press Council of India to use its good offices to bring an end to the hawkers agitation as it has "infringed upon the people's right to get information.