Stating that the State government has always kept its doors open for employee unions, Adviser, Public Affairs, Sajjala Ramakrishna Reddy has said that unions should be ready to discuss core issues with the government.
The statement comes in the backdrop of a strident pose taken by the employee unions who held a protest in Vijayawada on Thursday and threatened to go on strike from February 7.
“We have been reiterating that the government is ready to hold talks with the unions for many days, but we can’t keep on inviting them daily. The employee unions should understand that the government is ready to listen to their grievances, but if they continue to take a strident stand and allow political parties to take advantage of the situation, they would be at a loss. We understand that a lot of leaders from Left parties had taken part in the meeting held on Thursday. If employees in emergency health care go on strike, they would have to face the consequences,” said Mr. Ramakrishna Reddy.
Later, Mr. Ramakrishna Reddy along with Finance Minister Buggana Rajendranath Reddy, Municipal Administration Minister Botcha Satyanarayana began holding talks with the representatives of employee unions at the Secretariat.
Mr. Ramakrishna Reddy further said that there was no rationale behind the demand of the employees to hold talks on the three issues, and added that the employee unions had not understood the motive of the government.
“If the employee unions continue to defy government’s orders, then the government will be forced to take punitive action. They should understand the State’s financial burdens have increased after the merger of RTC into the government and setting up of village and ward secretariats. We are urging the unions to discuss with an open mind,” said Mr. Ramakrishna Reddy.
Earlier, Mr. Ramakrishna Reddy released the diary of AP State SC and ST Gazetted Employee Association at Tadepalli. MLC M. Arun Kumar was present.
