New Delhi, April 30: The Confederation of Central Government Employees and Workers to-day directed its Class III and IV employees all over the country to go on an indefinite strike from May 10. The Confederation, which claims to represent over seven lakh employees, called upon its members, who include those belonging to the Posts and Telegraphs Department, Audit, Income Tax and several other departments, excluding the Defence Services and Railways to commence the strike at 6 a.m. The strike will be preceded by a two-day “non-cooperation movement” from May 8 in the form of mass casual leave, work-to-rule, tool-down and pen-down to coincide with the threatened strike by railwaymen, Mr. S.K. Vyas, Secretary-General of the Confederation, said in a press statement. He added that this action would continue till the demands, already submitted to the Finance Minister and the respective Heads of Departments, were conceded. The demands included parity in pay scales with the public sector undertakings, a need-based minimum wage and bonus. The statement said the affiliates of the Confederation including the National Federation of P and T employees and the All-India Non-Garetted Audit and Accounts Association, had meetings of their policymaking bodies here from April 27 to 29. They held a joint meeting to-day at which the decision to go on strike was taken.
