Sixty-five permanent staff members of the Indian Council of Historical Research (ICHR) went on an indefinite strike on Monday demanding revised salaries recommended by the Seventh Pay Commission, which was implemented for Union government staff last year.
The ICHR, an autonomous institution under the Human Resource Development Ministry, is a premier body for historical research.
The striking staff sat through the day in the park outside the building, raising slogans against the Centre and the institution.
They wrote to the officiating member secretary of the ICHR on August 10 that they would strike work from August 21 if their demand was not accepted.
Inordinate delay
“The Seventh Pay Commission has not been implemented here, more than a year after it was implemented for Central government servants. There has been correspondence with the Ministry — they had asked about the number of employees here and the budget,” an employee told The Hindu .
“Details have been given to the Ministry at least two months ago, but we continue to get the Sixth Pay Commission salaries.”
Union stand
A retired official from the institution said that as per ICHR’s Memorandum of Association, employees there get salaries in line with Central government pay.
“The workers’ union of the ICHR has decided that we will go on an indefinite strike against the indifferent attitude of the Ministry of Human Resource Development and the ICHR ... Despite not wanting to, the workers’ union is striking work out of disappointment,” said the letter from the union.
