EJAC Hold Protest, Demanding Regularization of Daily Wagers

Srinagar: A peaceful protest program of Employees Joint Action Committee was held today in front of Civil Secretariat under the leadership of its President Fayaz Ahmad Shabnam. The protest was done in favour of regularization of daily wagers and all types of temporary workers employed in various departments of Jammu & Kashmir. The protestors were holding placards and banners in support of daily wagers and were demanding for their regularization. The protestors had limited their number to 5, due to the present situation of Covid 19 and also adhered to the precautions of the health department by maintaining social distance and wearing masks.
In the protest program, the plight of the daily wagers and all type of temporary workers who have been working tirelessly in various departments of J&K for more than 25 years on a meager salary with which they are not even able to make their two ends meet was also highlighted.
“The daily wagers are the frontline warriors in every calamity that has befallen over the people of J&K and are working on the same parameters and capabilities as that of regular employees and to regularize them is not only the obligation of the government but also the genuine right of the daily wagers” the protestors said.
It was also put forth that the regularization of daily wagers is not a new agenda of the association but it has been there since decades. The previous governments have time and again made agreements with the EJAC leadership regarding the regularization of daily wagers but till now no positive outcome arose in this regard. Also the daily wagers and all type of temporary workers have been continuously given cold shoulder by the government which has forced the EJAC to come out on streets and protest for their rights.
“Furthermore, the government has issued order for the recruitment of various Class IV posts which is a welcome step but it would be necessary to take the predicament of daily wagers and all type of temporary workers into consideration and initiate steps to regularize them first. It will be irony that in this new recruitment both the father and son will have to apply for the same post in case of daily wagers and all type of temporary workers” Fayaz Ahmad Shabnam said.
The protestors also stressed upon that EJAC will continue to struggle and fight for the genuine rights and demands of daily wagers and other types of casual labourers.
The leaders who attended the protest other than the President were Tariq Ahmad Sofi (Chief Spokesman), Farooq Ahmad Khan (Vice-President), Athar Muzaffar Reshi(Secretary), Bashir Ahmad Thokar (Press Secretary), Mir Nazir, Nisar Ahmad Mir, Farooq Ahmad Malik, Shabir Ahmad Khanday, Ab. Rashid Shaksaz, Mohd. Ramazan Sheikh, Muzaffar Hameed Bhat, Ishfaq Ahmad Shah, Suhaib Munshi and others.(KNS)