From Sanjay Borkar in Margao
for Daijiworld Media Network - Goa (MB)
Margao, Mar 20: A tussle between workers and management in various companies over freezing of variable dearness allowance (VDA) has led workers to go on strike.
The concept of freezing the VDA from the salary of workers is slowly being implemented in Goa. In return, the company management pays them a one-time allowance of Rs 900 for a long term of ten years, whereas the consumer price index is announced every three months and based on that the VDA is decided. Around Rs 300 to Rs 400 - this can go up as per CPI - is added every year as VDA in the salary.
According to some experts if the VDA get frozen, workers would face heavy losses as inflation is increasing every day.
This concept of freezing the VDA is slowly comin into effect in Goa. But some company workers have opposed this concept and have filed complaints against the managements for imposing other allowances on them by freezing the VDA, said labour and employment commissioner of Goa, S A Deshprabhu.
When asked about this, labour and employment minister Joaquim Alemao said he had no idea about the freezing of the VDA.
"I am totally against bringing in the new concept of freezing VDA and giving other allowances, which are not beneficial to workers. The managements are trying to create nebulous environment among the industrial estates of Goa. I have always opposed this system and will oppose further. Freezing the VDA means freezing the future of the worker. We will oppose this in every way. We will not accept this system," said Christopher Fonseca, leader of All India Trade Union Congress.
Fonseca also appealed to workers not to bend towards management nebulous ideas and not to sign any agreement in this regard.
When this correspondent spoke to one of the company workers from Kundaim Industrial Estate, who are on strike over same issue and have been seeking settlement of their demands over the last 7 years, he said that the Goa Government was sidelining the labour issues, adding that there was no Judge in the industrial tribunal and labour courts, and vented his anger on the government.