Strike: Contract staff to face the axe first

HYDERABAD: Contract and outsourcing employees are likely to face the axe first in case they do not turn up for work during the general strike proposed to be launched by Telangana employees on August 17. They will be removed from their jobs and are all likely to get disqualified for all government postings in future.The cabinet sub-committee on employees issues, which met here on Tuesday, made this and several other recommendations in its report submitted to chief minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy. In the case of government employees in the Telangana region, the government is contemplating tightening the service rules of employees to prevent them from skipping their work and participating in the strike. Further, the heads of departments have been asked to prepare detailed reports on those who participate in the strike and issue show-cause notices demanding explanation for their absence from work place.The cabinet sub-committee is believed to have recommended stern action against employees who participate in the general strike proposed to be launched from August 17. Apart from de-recognising the employee unions  that represent the Telangana employees, teachers, workers, doctors and other categories of employees, the government is also thinking of initiating criminal action against them. It may utilise the services of retired employees apart from providing adequate security to those who report for duty. The group of ministers has proposed talks with Telangana employees who walked out of a meeting held last week. The talks ended abruptly when the government refused to accept some of the pre-conditions such as  withdrawal of government orders bringing certain services under the Essential Services and Maintenance Act (ESMA) in the event of a strike.A couple of ministers are learnt to have favoured withdrawal of GOs 166 and 177 which declared the financial and treasuries departments as essential services. The chief minister was firm on keeping the orders in force but assured that ESMA would be invoked only as a last weapon to prevent inconvenience to the public due to the general strike.A senior minister told reporters that the government was still open to talks with Telangana employees to address their grievances. “We have no issues in resuming the talks as the government is committed to resolving their demands within its purview,” he said. The minister said that the government can handle the problem tactfully but indicated the possibility of President’s rule being imposed in case things went out of control.