Over 1.7 million government, semi-government workers, teaching, and non- teaching staff in education institutions on Tuesday launched an indefinite strike in Maharashtra over various pending demands, including restoration of the old pension scheme.
The government said that the strike will be treated as misconduct and employees will not receive payment as per the 'no work, no pay rule' (Dies non). A directive has been issued to all heads of departments to remain present at their workplaces.
The call for a strike was given by two central organisations of the employees. the State Government Employees’ Central Association and the State Government Group-D (Class IV) Employees’ Central Federation had issued a strike notice earlier. The unions claimed that a revised pension scheme was implemented on March 1, 2024, but a corresponding official notification has not been issued. Hence, retired employees have been deprived of any retirement benefits.
The unions have submitted 17 demands. These include starting recruitment for Class IV employees and drivers, launching a health insurance scheme, raising the retirement age to 60, regularising contractual employees, resolving pay scale issues of clerical staff, and addressing problems in the Health Department.
The unions said they were assured that decisions would be taken after discussions at the Chief Secretary level. However, their demands were ignored during the 15-month tenure of the current Mahayuti government. They said the government had kept the doors to dialogue closed and refused to grant them an opportunity for discussion.