Condemning the anomalies in the 7th Pay Commission and demanding minimum salary of ₹. 26,000 a month, the Central Government employees struck work on Thursday as part of the nation-wide protest and staged demonstration in front of their offices here.
Expressing dissatisfaction over the recommendations of the 7th Pay Commission, the Central Government employees’ unions had demanded the minimum salary of ₹. 26,000 a month, besides urging the Union Government to weed out the pay anomalies. When the unions threatened to go on strike in support of their demands, the Central Government formed a committee to hold talks with the representatives of the unions on pay-related grievances and their other demands.
Since no such talks were held so far, the Central Government employees called for the nation-wide strike on Thursday (March 16). Consequently, the officers of Department of Income Tax, Indian Railways, Customs and Central Excise, Department of Posts etc. participated in the strike and organised demonstration in front of their offices. “Though the committee to discuss with us the pay anomalies was formed eight months ago, no parleys were held until yesterday and hence we struck work today. We won’t hesitate to commence indefinite strike if the stalemate continues,” the protesting Central Government staff said.
Thoothukudi
Central government employees struck work in the district on Thursday pressing a charter of demands. The striking staff demanded the Centre to fix the minimum salary at ₹. 26,000. They also wanted the existing pension scheme scrapped and replaced with the old pension scheme.
Over 90 percent of the postal department staff boycotted work and participated in the strike. Post offices in the district wore a deserted look. Routine work at the post offices was affected, sources said. Around 700 staff from a total of 295 post offices abstained from work, sources said.
Employees of the Income Tax department also joined the strike. The protesting postal staff wanted the recommendations of Kamalesh Chandra committee implemented to benefit Gramin Dak Sevaks. Meanwhile, the BSNL employees also staged a demonstration on the BSNL office premises, sources said.
Nagercoil
Central government employees including staff of Department of Posts, Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited struck work on Thursday to protest the ‘low’ wage hike recommended by the 7th Pay Commission and other long-pending demands.
The country-wide strike call was given by the Confederation of Central Government Employees, including Gramin Dak Sevaks, casual, contract and part-time workers.
Leaders who spoke at the demonstration in front of the Head Post Office and BSNL Exchange in Nagercoil accused the Central government of ‘letting down’ 33 lakh employees and 34 lakh pensioners. 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, the leaders said.
The agitation in front of the Head Post Office was presided over by A. Meenakshi Sundaram, District Secretary, All India BSNL – BOT Pensioners Association and P. Rajanagayam, District Secretary of All India Postal RMS Pensioners Association spoke. The demonstration held before the BSNL Exchange was presided over by BSNL Employees Union District President George.
