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Demands not met, ministerial staff extend strike till Dec 11
Salaries of nearly two lakh government employees across the state have been delayed due to the protest; the Punjab State Ministerial Serices Union (PSMSU) took the decision to extend the pen-down strike a day after their talks with a cabinet sub-committee headed by finance minister Harpal Singh Cheema remained inconclusive
Striking ministerial employees in Punjab on Wednesday decided to extend their protest till December 11.
The Punjab State Ministerial Serices Union (PSMSU) took the decision to extend the pen-down strike a day after their talks with a cabinet sub-committee headed by finance minister Harpal Singh Cheema remained inconclusive.
Salaries of nearly two lakh government employees across the state have been delayed due to the protest.
“The strike will continue as such. The state government’s response to our demands has not been positive,” PSMSU additional general secretary Tejinder Singh Nangal said.
He said the government had also indefinitely postponed the meeting to be held with representatives of the union on Thursday to discuss the demands.
Clerical staff of around 50 departments is on pen-down strike since November 8, seeking implementation of the old pension scheme (OPS), release of three pending dearness allowance (DA) instalments, regularisation of contractual employees and reinstatement of accelerated career progression.
Aam Aadmi Party’s state chief spokesperson Malvinder Singh Kang said the government was already making efforts to implement the old pension scheme in an effective manner. “Steps have been taken to regularise the services of contractual staff. Their other demands are also being considered by the state government, but a strike is not the right way to press the issue at this moment,” he said.
