Thiruvananthapuram: While the 48-hour strike observed by the joint action council of central trade unions has had an adverse impact on business community in Kerala, the government employees got to enjoy a two-day holiday.
With the government deciding against applying the dies non, the ‘no-work-no-pay’ principle, on them, the employees who did not report for work on January 8 and 9 do not stand to lose their salary. Some may mark their attendance and receive pay for the days, while the others might avail paid leave, it was learnt.
Normally, state governments tackle strike by employees by initiating measures like declaring striking days as dies non (no-wage days). Those who have gone on strike would have to forego the days’ salary. The government can also issue an order at a later date declaring the strike period as holidays. It will be deducted from the casual leave they are entitled to per year.
Employees who did not report for work for the last two days are most likely to get their attendance marked when they report for duty the next day. Hence, they will not lose their salary or casual leave at their credit.
It is to be noted that a majority of women government employees who took part in the wall of women programme held on January 1 had left offices after marking their attendance. Though recording of attendance through biometric punching system is an effective way to check unauthorised absence by employees, it is yet to be introduced in most of the government offices in the state.
Out of the total 4,860 secretariat staff, only 111 turned up for work on the first day of the general strike, while the attendance on Wednesday was 115. District collectorates also witnessed thin attendance of less than 10 per cent in the past two days.
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