Mangalore: KMC employees go on protest demanding revised pay scale

Pics: Dayanand Kukkaje
Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (DV)

Mangalore, Jan 22: A silent protest by the non-teaching staff of Kasturba Medical College on Wednesday January 22, demanding an increase in salaries as per the state or the central government pay scales, turned into a strong outcry against the management.

Though it began as a silent protest with non-teaching staff of KMC wearing badges, the protest intensified as they came out of the institution and demanded a revision in their salaries.

Addressing the protest, Purushotham K M, president of Manipal University Employees' Union said, “There are 1000 non-teaching staff in the city working in this institution. Till 1996 these non teaching staff used to get full salary as per the state government salary guidelines but later it was stopped. Although we have spoken to the management there has been no satisfactory response.
 
"The employees are not even given proper incentives. Although the basic salary as per state government guidelines starts from Rs 9,600, non-teaching staff get only Rs 4,000, which is not even half the amount stipulated by the state. It is an injustice to the employees. Teaching staff and doctors have also supported our cause. Hence the management should provide suitable salary to the non-teaching staff," he said.

K Vishwanath Shetty, district president of Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh said, "There several non-teaching staff in the institution, most of them from middle class families. Although the management orally assured to resolve this matter, the non-teaching staff did not get justice. Therefore, the institution should revise the salary structure as per the state or central government pay scale."

Sudarshan, president of Manipal University Non-teaching Employees' Association said, "Our non-teaching employees have already held a peaceful protest by wearing black badges, and brought the matter to the notice of the registrar, the HR management has failed to consider our demand, hence the management should provide the state or the central government pay scale and extend the age of retirement from 58 years to 60 years."

On this occasion Suraj, vice-president of Manipal University Employees' Union, and Nagaraj, secretary of Manipal University Non-teaching Employees' Association were present.

Several non-teaching staff like AC mechanics, accountants, blood bank technicians, cleaners, clerks, dark room assistances, general duty workers, laboratory technicians and others joined the protest.