Government officers cancel strike plan

The Asian Age.  | Umakant Deshpande

Metros, Mumbai

The strike was called off after the state issued two government resolutions, on late Monday night.

Devendra Fadnavis

Mumbai: After the announcement of the three-day strike from Tuesday, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis -led state government issued orders late on Monday night for the implementation of the 7th pay commission from January 2019 and also the disbursement of 14-months’ DA (dearness allowance) arrears immediately in this month. Responding to the appeal of Mr Fadnavis, gazetted officers association and zilla parishad employees stayed the strike announced from Tuesday, said general secretary G.D. Kulthe.

Other government employees organisations were discussing about the withdrawal of the strike late night.

Despite Mr Fadnavis’s announcement of implementation of 7th pay commission from January 2019, government employees had declared to go on a 3-day strike from Tuesday, which was likely to affect services. Under pressure  the government held discussions with the unions and issued two government resolutions (GR) at late night. “Arrears of 14 months DA would be given in the salary of August which will be burden to the state of `4800 crore. Unions had apprehended that, implementation of the 7th pay may further get delayed if Lok Sabha elections will be held in February and model code of conduct would come in force. So government issued GR for the implementation of 7th Pay from January 1, 2019 at any cost. After issuing these orders, officers association stayed the strike,” said Mr Kulthe.

Government employees are demanding immediate implementation of the 7th pay commission like Union government, since few months. But state government was  delaying its implementation on the ground that retired additional chief secretary K.P. Bakshi committee had not submitted it’s report.

Unions had called the strike for 3 days starting from Tuesday till 9th August, in which 17 lakh employees were expected to participate, paralysing the state administration. Zilla Parishad (ZP) employees and teachers from aided schools were going to participate. But later, the officers and ZP employees withdrew the strike.

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