Panaji, Mar 22 (TOI): The Goa Government Employees' Association (GGEA) said that their pen-down, tool-down strike which started on Monday was a success. The government, however, has termed it illegal.

GGEA president M L Shetkar said, "More than 85% of the affected employees went to the office and signed the muster roll but abstained from doing any work. The other 15%-a majority of who work in the electricity, water supply and health departments- needed to work in order to ensure that people were not affected. However, there were a few who didn't participate in the strike as they were scared of offending their department bosses."

Almost 20,000 to 25,000 government employees are aggrieved by the "selective upgradation". GGEA has been demanding an upgradation in the pay scales of left-out categories of government employees in line with that given to selective categories of government employees. The aggrieved government employees demanding the upgradation include engineers, clerical staff, helpers, drivers, mechanics, etc.

Regretting the inconvenience that is being caused to the people of Goa, Shetkar said they were forced to resort to this as the government has behaved in an unfair manner.

"The strike has started and the government can't silence us by invoking the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) and threatening us saying that whoever participates in the strike or found not discharging their assigned duties during the strike period would be treated as absent

Following an earlier strike notice by GGEA on December 2, 2010, the government had issued an order under the ESMA which remains in force. "All this time we were trying to avoid a strike because we did not want to inconvenience the public. But now we have decided that we will not continue to be silent spectators. If things don't improve, we will paralyze everything," Shetkar added.

The government, in a circular, has urged employees to desist from joining the strike called by GGEA as its recognition itself is under a cloud. The government has, however, instructed department heads to record names of officials who refuse to function during office hours and make it clear to them that failing to perform their duty or disobeying directions would be viewed seriously and absence from work would be taken as unauthorized.

They have been instructed to file attendance reports every evening to the general administration department for further action by the government.

Employees have been told that whoever participates in the strike or found not discharging their assigned duties during the strike period shall be treated as absent.