Bhubaneswar: The state’s fire service employees’ union Sunday called off their proposed six-day cease work stir which was scheduled from Monday after getting assurance from the Director General (DG) Fire Services, BK Sharma, about fulfillment of their demands.
A five-member committee of the union met Sharma at his office Saturday. Sharma who agreed to fulfill some of their demands also assured the committee to personally take up others issues with the government soon.
Informing media persons, convener of the union, Prakash Chandra Patra, said, “our union issued a statement Thursday about going on a strike from Monday across the state for six days over several demands of our members. However, following the assurances by the DG, we are calling it off.”
“We will go on strike if our demands are not fulfilled by the government in the given time,” Patra added.
The union has been seeking regularisation of services of firemen who are employed on contractual basis, preparation of duty chart along with a fixed eight-hour duty, salary and all other allowances at par with policemen, filing up of the vacant posts, restructuring of cadre rules and post-retirement benefits.
Earlier, the union informed Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, Chief Secretary, additional chief secretary of the home department, fire service DG and additional chief secretary of Finance department about their demands, but to no avail.