Against new pension scheme
Hectic preparations are on for the indefinite strike planned in November by the State government employees and teachers. The strike is being launched to compel the government to withdraw the orders approving in principle the contributory pension scheme.
The pro-Left Democratic Front employees and teachers’ organisations have finalised the indefinite strike plan. The exact date will be formally declared only after talks with the pro-United Democratic Front organisations.
The pro-CPI (M) Federation of State Employees and Teachers Organisations (FSETO) will convene district-level conventions from September 10 to 12 to declare its decision to launch the strike. The FSETO will also organise taluk-level conventions from September 13 to 15 for the same purpose.
In addition to serving employees and teachers, there is also a campaign to make pensioners join the strike. This is because a provision of the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) Bill stipulates that existing pensioners can also be brought under the contributory pension scheme through an executive order.
FSETO leaders said that such a provision was in sharp contrast to the government claims that only employees and teachers appointed in the future would be covered by the PFRDA.
To ensure the success of the strike, the Kerala Gazetted Officers Association, a constituent of FSETO, has decided to suspend the agitation demanding restoration of parity in the pay scales of the State Secretariat employees and those in the field departments.
The pro-CPI ‘samara samithy’ of the Joint Council is also engaged in a campaign to muster support for the indefinite strike. Implementation of the contributory pension scheme would mean exclusion of benefits, they say.
Government staff plan strike in November District-level conventions from September 10
