Briefing newspersons about the proposed meet, president of the Vadodara branch of the State Government Drivers and Technical Staff Union, P R Sharma, told Express Newsline that the more than 5,000 union members were a frustrated lot as none of their demands for a pay hike and allowances had been given serious heed by the authorities concerned.

According to him, though their union had highlighted their demands about five years ago, nothing had so far been done to meet them, hence the State-level meet at Gandhinagar in which the agitation action plan would be finalised. He said drivers and technical staff worked on holidays and worked efficiently to the satisfaction of VIPs, yet they did not get any extra remuneration or allowances like other State government employees.

Sharma added that likewise, the union had long been demanding regularisation of over 500 temporary drivers and technical staffers who had been working regularly with different departments for over a decade.

Meanwhile, president of the State Government Class III Revenue Employees Union N U Vasandiya said that they, too, were likely to meet on October 26 to restart their agitation against the ``stepmotherly'' attitude towards their union members.

He said that despite their repeated protests and assurances by the government, nothing had formally been done to promote class III employees to the post of mamlatdars, and time-bound promotions of this section of government employees don't occur.

``The State unit of the union might decide to go on strike following the discussion in about a fortnight's time'', he threatened.