AGNI will move court to scuttle civic strike plan

Mumbai: A PIL to restrain civic employees from striking work will be filed by AGNI, a city NGO working for good governance. The PIL is likely to be filed on Wednesday.

Municipal Mazdoor Union Leader Sharad Rao had postponed the civic strike to the midnight of March 29 from March 23. The strike has been called to press for 129% DA for the BMC's 1.17 lakh employees.

The union's demand has already been rejected by the Pay Revision Committee that has recommended 100 per cent DA. A meeting between the union, the administration and the elected representatives is to be held on Tuesday to resolve the issue.

AGNI convenor D. M. Sukthankar said the petitioners would seek a compensation similar to that paid by the Shiv Sena - Bharatiya Janata Party when they called a bandh last year. AGNI had filed a PIL against the bandh. The HC, ruling in favour of AGNI, had ordered the two parties to pay a compensation of Rs. 20 lakh each.

The strike, he said, violated the fundamental rights of the citizen as enshrined in Articles 19 and 21 of the constitution. The Kerala HC has ruled that strikes disrupt normal life and are illegal. It's ruling has been endorsed by the Supreme Court.

"We will seek an interim relief against the union proceeding or continuing with the strike. If they take this suicidal step, they will be liable to pay compensation."

A restraint order has already been issued by the industrial court and Rao has given a commitment before the court not to strike work. However, at other forums, Rao has been threatening to carry out an indefinite strike if his demand is not met.

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