L. A. DEBATES (CENTRAL) QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 1047
(d) how many workers are now involved in the strike;
(e) whether it is a fact that this strike has spread to or similar strikes are in progress in, other Presses of the Central or Provincial Governments;
(f) whether it is a fact that such a strike is in progress in Bombay, vide page 4 of the Hindustan Times, of the 21st March, and
(g) what steps are being taken by Government to come to a settlement with the workers ?
The Honourable Dr. B. R. Ambedkar : (a) The strike lasted for
19 days from the 6th March to 24th March, 1946.
(b) The demands were :
(1) Fixation of a fair living wage at a rate not lower than Rs. 50 p.m.
(2) Revision of existing scales of pay on an equal footing in all the Government of India Presses.
(3) Revision of the Contributory Fund Rules so as to bring them into line with State Railways Provident Fund and grant of gratuity on retirement or death.
(4) Increase in dearness and war allowances.
(5) Revision of leave Rules.
(6) Reduction in working hours from 48 to 40 a week.
(7) Allowance to the men working in the night shift.
(8) Increase in the class rates of pieceworkers.
(9) Casual leave and holidays with pay to pieceworkers.
(10) Retention of temporary workers.
(c) and (g) The demands were brought to Government’s notice in February last. The last five demands have since been conceded in part and the concessions announced. The first five demands, being of a general nature affecting all classes of Central Government servants, cannot be granted without due consideration and will have to wait the recommendations of the Pay Commission in regard to salaried hands. Government have also granted the following additional concessions to all pressworkers.
(i) The increased rates of dearness and war allowances would be given retrospective effect from the 1st July, 1944 instead of from 1st January, 1946 to all those now drawing them.
(ii) Half the dearness allowance will count as pay for the purpose of calculating the amount of pension of all workers in receipt of such allowance.