Normal work in government offices and PSU’s resumed on Thursday across Jammu and Kashmir after the employees called off their 12-day strike following the government’s assurance that their demands will be fulfilled within three months.
“Work has been resumed in all government offices and PSUs across the State. The all government department and PSUs are functioning smoothly,” an official spokesman said here.
“All offices, including schools and colleges reopened today and the attendance in the offices was cent per cent,” he said.
Work in government offices, Civil Secretariat, Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) and autonomous bodies across the State was totally paralysed for past 12 days in connection with “pen-down and tool-down” call given by Joint Consultative Committee (JCC), Employees Joint Action Committee (EJAC) and Civil Secretariat Employees union (CSEU).
Around 4.50 lakh employees, who went on strike on April 3 in support of their demands for payment of arrears of 6th pay commission and hike in retirement age to 60, called off strike on April 13 on the assurance of the government that it will look into their demands within three months.
While workers of Srinagar Municipal Corporation, paramedical staff and workers of power development department resumed work on Wednesday itself, other offices could not due to holiday on account of Baisakhi on Wednesday.
To facilitate return of employees to work, government released all the detained leaders of employees, including employee’s joint action committee (EJAC) President Abdul Qayoom Wani, official sources said.
28 employees who were lodged at central jail were released on Wedensday. Over 200 government employees and leaders were arrested, 23 suspended in connection with the strike after the government invoked Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA).
Mr. Wani, who is also spokesman of joint consultative committee, which spearheaded the strike, was the first employee’s leader to be arrested by police. He was held near Parimpora on the city’s outskirts on April 7 and was shifted to sub-district jail Baramulla.
