"Contract Employees Can't Strike"

While making an appeal to Telangana employees to resume their duties and stop their ongoing strke, the state government has issued a warning to contract employees, threatening them with dire consequences if they, too, participate in the general strike.

Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy, along with his deputy Damodar Rajanarasimha, Cabinet colleagues including N Raghuveera Reddy, Dharmana Prasada Rao and Danam Nagender, and senior officials, held a meeting to review the impact of the general strike on the state administration.

Later, talking to media, Labour Minister Danam Nagender said that the process of resolving the Telangana issue has already begun in New Delhi, and that therefore, the strike must be withdrawn.

The minister said that the employees were a part of the government, and that they must rethink their decision. He said that the general strike has hit developmental activities and the production of coal and power.

He said that nearly 70% of the staff attended their duties in the Secretariat, but that almost 80% abstained from their duties in districts.

The minister said that several welfare schemes would be affected if the strike continues. Most importantly, he said, the strike would hit daily wage earners.

The production in SCCL came to a grinding halt, which has hit farmers, beedi workers and other labourers spread out in the Telangana region, he said.

Regarding outsourcing staff, the minister clarified that there is a clause that binds them to offer their services in all conditions, and said they would face termination if they abstain from their duties.

At a separate press conference, Secretariat Employees Association leader Suresh announced that the agitation would be intensified further. He also denied reports that the strike on Tuesday was partial in Secretariat. (INN)