Protest: Research institute workers demand raises, allowances

Say they would observe a pens-down strike if demands not met.

FAISALABAD:

Scores of Ayub Agriculture Research Institute (AARI) employees staged a demonstration here on Friday to press their demands for wage revision, allowances and other fringe benefits.

The demonstrators sat in front of the office gate and shouted slogans in favour of their demands. Later the protesters rallied to the Faisalabad Press Club. They also surrounded the secretariat of the city district government.

The All Pakistan Clerks Association deputy general secretary said that grade IV employees at the research institute were facing problems due to low wages. He said though the federal government had announced 15 per cent increase in salaries of all government employees, the Punjab government had announced a 10 per cent increase.

Waris Gujjar, one of the speakers, said that the unprecedented price hike had aggravated the situation. He said it had become almost impossible for grade IV employees to look after their families.

He said the institute employees had requested the authorities several times to revise the raise and give them special incentives, but they remained ignored.



The demonstrators said if the government did not fulfill their demands by framing service rules and ensuring provision of special relief by increasing salaries and allowances, the institute employees would observe a pens-down strike and lock down their offices indefinitely.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 12^th, 2013.