AIR, DD strike continues

Meanwhile, 36 employees of AIR and 12 of DD participated in the strike, most of them having collected outside the gates of AIR8217;s Shivaji Nagar office.

8220;Out of the 38 members of ARTEE, 36 are participating in the strike which makes 99 per cent of staff participation,8221; said R G Kondhalkar, unit secretary of the ARTEE. AIR and DD Engineering Employees Associations is on a 72-hour nationwide strike and have threatened to extend it if their demands are not met. During the agitation in 1997, the Prasar Bharati Board had accepted and recommended the revised pay-scales to subordinate engineering staff. The employees are upset over the fact that in spite of the Prasar Bharati Board having recommended pay-scales to subordinate engineering staff on the advice of the Government, the matter is pending for the last one year for a final decision.

The government had assured that the 10 per cent of the difference will be given by the Prasar Bharati Board and all pay-scales will be revised and fixed. Once the demanded pay-scales are accepted and 90 per cent of the difference is paid, there should not be any delay for final fixation of pay- scales.