Naval base workers stage protest meet

Protesting against the state government’s move to privatise Defence institutions and Armament factories, the Cochin Naval Base Civilian Workers Union and the  Southern Naval Command Civilian Employees’ Association staged a protest meet before the Southern Naval Command headquarters here on Friday.

The meet was part of the nationwide protests launched by the AITUC. Inaugurating the event,  former MP Sebastian Paul said that the economic reforms that began in 1991 had an adverse effect on the life of ordinary citizens.

 The revision of the pay scales for the Central Government employees once in five years, appointment of the Seventh Pay Commission, implementation of pay revision from January 2011, addition of 50 per cent dearness allowance to basic salary, the provision of a minimum of one month’s salary as bonus, doing away with complimentary pension, providing a permanent status to the contract and casual employees and 39 other demands were put forward by the organisations at the protest meet.