Uttarakhand News: Uttarakhand Ex-Serviceman Welfare Corporation Limited employees have started agitation against the state government over their demands. Upanal employees are marching towards the secretariat demanding equal pay for equal work and regularization. About 22,000 employees associated with this strike are preparing to take to the streets in support of their demands. The agitation is being supported by many organizations like State Corporation Employees Federation, Hydro Electric Employees Union, and MLA Mamta Rakesh.

Upanal employees have been demanding their rights for years. The Uttarakhand High Court had ordered in 2018 that Upanal employees should be given equal pay for equal work and a policy should be made for their regularization. This order was considered an important step for the economic security and stability of the employees. However, the state government has not taken any concrete steps on this order till now and instead filed a special leave petition (SLP) in the Supreme Court, which was later dismissed. This has created deep dissatisfaction among the employees towards the government.

'Government should respect the rights of employees'
Under the leadership of Vinod Godiyal, the state convener of the Upanal Employees United Front, the employees have decided that they will gather at the Parade Ground in Dehradun and march towards the Secretariat. Godiyal says that if the state government does not follow the 2018 order of the High Court, then this movement can spread on a large scale across the state. The 22,000 employees involved in the movement are opposing the government's decision and demanding that their rights be respected.

This strike of Upanal employees has the support of Rajya Nigam Karmachari Mahasangh and Hydro Electric Employees Union. These organizations believe that the demands of Upanal employees are justified and they should get proper salary and security. MLA Mamta Rakesh has also supported the movement of employees, which is giving morale to the employees. This movement can affect government offices and other services, and without employees many services can be affected.

In view of the strike, the Directorate of Medical Education has directed government medical colleges and nursing schools to make alternative arrangements. Medical colleges and nursing schools of Dehradun, Haridwar, Haldwani, Srinagar, Rudrapur, Almora, and Pithoragarh have been instructed to ensure that there is no interruption in services. This initiative of the Directorate of Medical Education has been taken so that the strike does not cause any hindrance in the medical services of the patients.

Pressure is increasing on the state government 

In view of the strike of Upanal employees, the pressure on the state government is increasing. Although the government has not made any clear announcement yet, it is likely to take a decision soon keeping in mind the demands of the employees and the orders of the Supreme Court. The government now has limited options left and it will have to take concrete steps on the demands of Upanal employees soon.