Daijiworld Media Network - Panaji

Panaji, Jul 16: The Indian National Trades Union Congress (INTUC) has warned the Goa government of a statewide agitation if long-pending issues concerning contractual government employees, unorganised workers and retrenched mining labourers are not resolved within the deadlines set by the union.

Addressing a press conference on Thursday, INTUC National President Haushilaprasad Sharma said the organisation had convened a meeting to discuss issues affecting unorganised workers, mining labourers, building and construction workers, and contractual government employees.

"Our primary objective is to establish a dialogue with the administration regarding these pending issues. Workers in the unorganised sector continue to face exploitation, with many not even receiving minimum wages. Migrant workers also face challenges related to health, safety and social justice, which need immediate attention," Sharma said.

He also highlighted the retrenchment of around 150 workers associated with Vedanta's mining operations and said the union would pursue the matter vigorously. Sharma added that INTUC was also taking up the concerns of seasonal fishermen and contractual government employees.

INTUC Goa President Advocate Ajay Prabhugaonkar alleged that nearly 5,000 to 5,500 Goan youths working in various government departments have remained on contractual appointments for years despite performing regular duties.

"These youths were given assurances of permanent employment by successive governments and ministers. Instead, they have continued on temporary contracts for 10, 15 and even 18 to 20 years while carrying out regular clerical and data entry work. They have been taken advantage of," he alleged.

Prabhugaonkar said the union had submitted a representation to the government demanding that contractual employees performing regular work be regularised within two months.

He also alleged irregularities involving recruitment agencies engaged by government departments.

"The government pays these societies between Rs 30,000 and Rs 35,000 per worker, including GST and service charges, but the employees receive only Rs 20,000 to Rs 22,000 as salary. The remaining amount is being pocketed by the agencies," he claimed.

He warned that the government had until August to either regularise the workers or substantially improve their salaries, failing which INTUC would launch a massive agitation across the state.

INTUC National General Secretary and National Legal Cell In-charge Kishor Vaithiji alleged widespread exploitation of contractual workers and said the union would seek legal remedies.

"The law is very clear. If a worker has been employed continuously for more than 240 days, they cannot simply be removed. Here we have youths who have worked for 15 to 18 years and are still being treated as temporary employees," Vaithiji said.

He also referred to employment generated during the commissioning of the new airport, alleging that many Goan youths recruited on contractual terms had since lost their jobs.

"People were promised employment opportunities when the airport was built. Today, many of those Goan youths have been removed, and you hardly see local workers there anymore. We are committed to protecting the legal rights of these workers," he said.

Vaithiji further said the rapid emergence of artificial intelligence was creating new employment challenges, making skill development and reskilling essential.

"Artificial Intelligence is changing the job market rapidly. Along with protecting workers' rights, we also need to equip them with new skills so they can adapt to changing times," he said.

On the retrenchment of around 150 mining workers, Vaithiji alleged that employees had been removed under the pretext of a change in the mining contractor even though operations continued under the Vedanta Group.

"Merely changing the contractor or company name does not permit employers to terminate existing workers. There is no such provision in law. We are fighting this legally and are confident justice will be delivered," he said.

INTUC said it would intensify its campaign across Goa if the government failed to address the concerns of contractual employees, unorganised workers and retrenched labourers within the stipulated timeframe.