Staff REPORTER
ITANAGAR, Jun 4: The Arunachal Pradesh Trade Union Federation (APTUF) and the All Arunachal Pradesh Workers' Union (AAPWU) have issued an ultimatum to the state government, demanding the release of pending salaries of casual and contingency workers by June 20.
Addressing reporters here on Thursday, APTUF general secretary Kenkar Yomcha said that nearly 30,000 casual workers across the state have not received their wages for the past six to seven months.
“Thousands of casual workers are facing immense hardship due to non-payment of salaries. We urge the government to resolve the issue within the stipulated time,” Yomcha said.
The union leaders said they had learned through the state Finance Commissioner that wage disbursements for casual workers under various departments and divisions had reportedly been halted. They expressed concern that such a move would have serious impacts on workers who depend entirely on wages to support their families.
The organisations stated that workers should not be made to suffer for administrative lapses or irregularities in appointments.
“If any engagement of contingency staff was made beyond the sanctioned strength by the competent authority, the responsibility does not lie with the workers. It is neither acceptable nor justified to place the financial burden on the working community,” Yomcha said.
Expressing concern over the prolonged delay in salary payments, the unions warned that they would launch an agitation if their demand is not met by the June 20 deadline. The APTUF and AAPWU said they would initiate a "no water and no power supply" movement within the Capital Complex, potentially disrupting essential services.
The unions further stated that the prolonged non-payment of wages has pushed many workers and their families into severe financial distress. They called upon the state government to take immediate measures to clear the salary backlog and avert further escalation of the situation.
The organisations urged the government to treat the issue on priority and ensure that the legitimate dues of workers are released without further delay.