The Mumbai Mazdoor Union, registered with the Bombay Parsi Punchayet (BPP), has served a notice to the apex body of the Parsi's threatening to strike work. The notice served by the class-four employees' union comes close to the Parsi New Year that will be coming up in August.
Following this, after a period of 15 days, over 220 employees will stop work that would affect performance of last rites of the dead, work related to prayer services, pumping and gardening work at various baugs and Doongerwadis.
The notice was served after the union's talks with Parsi Punchayet on revision of wages failed to make any progress. The union and the trustees had had a meeting on July 21 at the Punchayet office.
Wearing red caps, the protesting employees demanded an upward revision of wages to Rs 6,000. The last increment was of Rs 4,500. When contacted, union general secretary Dhunji Naterwalla said that they tried their best to resolve the issue, but failed due to infighting among the trustees. "We gave them an offer that they increase only Rs 3,200 (average of increase as per seniority) but they did not accept. If one group accepted something, the other would not," Naterwalla said, adding that soon there would be elections, prolonging the issue.
When contacted, BPP chairman Dinshaw Mehta said, "It (strike) will affect, but the trustees (other group) are not willing to concede. I am hopeful that wiser counsel will prevail and things will settle between parties."
Yazdi Desai, another trustee of the BPP who forms the other group, did not answer calls from dna.
