SPPU staffers go on half-day strike

By Monday evening, the indefinite strike of 1.8 million government employees in the state came to an end following fruitful negotiations regarding the implementation of the OPS

Joining agitation to restore the Old Pension Scheme (OPS), staffers and employees from all 13 non-agriculture universities in the state, including Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU), wore black ribbons and worked half-days.

Employees at Jaykar library sport black ribbons as a sign of protest against government for old pension scheme at Savitribai Phule Pune University on Monday. (Kalpesh Nukte/HT PHOTO)

Protests have been taking place across the state for more than a week in response to the implementation of the old pension scheme. As a result of protests on the SPPU campus, work at the administration block and other departments was disrupted.

By Monday evening, the indefinite strike of 1.8 million government employees in the state came to an end following fruitful negotiations regarding the implementation of the OPS.

“There are a large number of employees who joined state-level universities after 2005, and there are 10,000 university employees across the state who are currently on strike. On Sunday, a detailed discussion about the strike’s plan of action was held; as a result, we will continue to work by tying black ribbons,” Sunil Dhiwar, vice president of the SPPU Non-Teaching Servant Action Committee, said in a statement.

Meanwhile, reacting to the protests, Mauli Bhosale, a Commerce stream student said studies will have an adverse impact due to the strike.

“Commerce final year exams (TY B Com) will most likely begin next month, and if a similar situation occurs, exams will be delayed once more. Already, we have been impacted by delays in the last two years due to the Covid-19 pandemic.”