The All Assam District Administration Employees' Union (AADAE) addressing media in Dibrugarh on Saturday. Photo: Avik Chakraborty

The All Assam District Administration Employees’ Union (AADAE) on Saturday threatened to boycott the ensuing panchayat elections in Assam.  In their central executive committee meeting in Dibrugarh the members have decided to boycott the panchayat poll.

As per the agitation programme chalked out all employees of the district administration will go for a three-day cease work from November 1 which will be followed by another five-day cease work beginning November 12 and if there is no response from the government the union will go for the total boycott of the ensuing panchayat elections.

The employees are frustrated for non implementation of their 14 point charter of demands which include removal of disparity in pay and other perks as enjoyed by the employees appointed at Dispur secretariat.

Talking to reporters here, Anjumani Dutta, Vice president of the union said, “Government has not fulfilled our long pending demand to raise the pay scale. So, we have decided to launch non-cooperation from November 1 to attract the attention of government. But after that government again failed to fulfill our demand then we will go for five days non-cooperation from November 12.”

The union has demanded enhancement of grade pay to Rs 8,700 for graduate and to stop inter district transfer.  “We have 14-point charter of demands but our main demand is to raise our pay scale from Rs 6,200 to Rs 8,700. In Dispur Secretariat the graduate employees are getting Rs 8,700 but why government is doing discrimination with us. We are very much disappointed with the government,” Dutta said.

The union members said during the press meet that apart from discharging their official duties the district administration employees work round the clock whenever there is a natural calamity like floods besides various elections and NRC related works.

The union also alleged that the state government in a bid to suppress the voice of union is soon going to transfer the employees to other government departments in other districts in clear violation of their appointment conditions.

The All Assam District Administration Employees’ Union was formed in 1994 and has ten thousand members.

Avik Chakraborty is Northeast Now Correspondent in Dibrugarh. He can be reached at: [email protected]