Over 200 lifeguards go on strike in Goa

Yet another false assurance from the government.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/Over-200-lifeguards-go-on-strike-in-Goa/articleshow/52360641.cms

Over 200 lifeguards in Goa went on strike on Friday as government failed to keep its promise to revise their salaries as assured to them earlier this year. The three-day strike, which coincides with a weekend when domestic tourist inflow is high in the State, may affect life guarding services if other life guards decides to join the strike.

Drishti LifeSaving, the service provider, said it has made an alternate arrangement and their services will not be affected. It claimed lifeguards are being mislead by their leaders.

 A 500 plus lifeguards are normally deployed on the beaches across the State.

Adv Suhas Naik of All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) blames the government for present situation. The government has not only failed to fulfill assurances it made to lifeguards when they were on indefinite strike earlier this year, but it also did not show any willingness to discuss the matter with us. “We were not given an appointment to meet chief minister,” he said adding government has gone back on their promises.

 Besides salary hike, the lifeguards have demanded to reinstate some employees suspended by the service provider allegedly for indiscipline during work hours.