Ration shop employees begin four-day strike

Among other things, they demand of 17% DA hike announced by govt.

Pressing for a charter of demands, including increase in dearness allowance and issue of point of sale machines to all ration shops, employees of ration shops, affiliated to Tamil Nadu Government Rationshops Employees’ Association, began a four-day strike across the State.

Participating in a demonstration held here on Tuesday, Association State secretary S. Marimuthu said the State government had announced 31% DA hike for government employees and 17% hike for the rationshop employees.

“However, that announcement has been kept in abeyance only for ration shop workers,” he complained. The employees had resorted to a strike only after several ways of drawing the attention of the government failed to evoke any positive response for the last five months.

The point of sale equipment provided to the ration shops were five years old and were not working properly, the protesters said. The Association also demanded that the government supply essential goods in packed form to avoid complaints of leakage.

“Now there is a blame game for underweighing of goods supplied to consumers at different levels. If the goods are packed, there will be no complaint and the sales persons need not quarrel with consumers,” he said.

The strike will continue till June 10.

Association district presidnet V.P. Dinakaran and secretary P. Gnanasekaran were present.