Central govt employees to strike work on Thursday
Central government employees in departments such as postal, income-tax, Survey of India, Census, Central Groundwater Board, and atomic power, will strike work on Thursday to protest the ‘betrayal’ by the Centre with regard to the ‘low’ wage hike recommended by the 7th Pay Commission and other long-pending demands.
The country-wide strike call, given by the Confederation of Central Government Employees, will include Gramin Dak Sevaks, casual, contract and part-time workers, according to a statement by M Krishnan, Secretary General of the confederation.The confederation, which had given a strike call on February 16, had postponed it to March 16 following the announcement of Assembly polls in five States.
Accusing the Narendra Modi government of ‘letting down’ 33 lakh Central government employees and 34 lakh pensioners, the striking workers are demanding that the National Pension Scheme be withdrawn immediately, the basic pay of Central government employees be revised to Rs 25,000, revision of minimum wage and fitment formula, house rent allowance, regularisation of casual, contract, contingent and daily rated workers, among others.
The confederation said it had submitted their demand charter on June 30 last year, which was referred to a Group of Ministers and were assured them that necessary amendments will be made within four months.
