Meghalaya EMRI workers decide to go for one-week strike over pending demands

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaJanuary 3, 2022

Workers of the GVK Emergency Management and Research Institute (GVK EMRI) have decided to go for a one-week strike from Monday midnight as a mark of protest against the state government’s failure to comply with their demands.

Announcing this, President of the Meghalaya EMRI Workers Union (MEMRIWU) Microlina Syiemlieh told reporters that the decision was taken after the two weeks ultimatum given to the state government to invite the workers for discussion, has expired.

“Till date there has been no response from the state government. Hence, we have decided to call for a one week strike by stopping all forms of services,” she said.

The EMRI workers have been demanding the state government for immediate cancellation of the contract with the GVK EMRI and assure job security to them.

She informed that during their agitation in 2018, the Union had listed as many as 38 demands which was later reduced to only seven demands.

“However, the demands were further reduced to only two which includes job security and immediate termination of the contract signed between the government and the company,” Syiemlieh said.

Earlier, the union had asserted the need for the state government to take over the emergency response services in the interest of the state and its people.

When asked, Syiemlieh said that the union will be compelled to intensify its agitation if the state government continues to be adamant in its approach towards the request of the workers for immediate discussion on these two pending demands.

She also reminded that the EMRI workers are also frontliners in the fight against the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.