7th Pay Commission: 17 lakh employees on strike, Maharashtra govt agrees to pay dues

Mumbai, Aug 7: In a bid to pressurise the government to implement the recommendations of the 7th Pay Commission, 17 lakh Maharashtra government employees would go on strike.

The strike has been called under the banner of the Maharashtra State Government Employees. They say if the recommendations are not implemented, they would go on a three day strike.

The other demands made by them include payment of dearness allowance (DA) for 14 months, a five day working week and also increase the retirement age to 60 years.

However around 1.5 lakh workers withdrew from the strike after a Government Resolution was issued late on Monday night, stating that the pending arrears of DA for a period of 14 months would be paid to them. Another GR was issued in which it was stated that the recommendations of the 7th Pay Commission would be implemented fro January 2019 onwards.

Officials say that the other two demands for a five day week and increase in retirement age would be taken up after Diwali. The arrears will be paid with the August salaries. If the implementation of the 7th Pay Commission is delayed, the employees will get the benefit as per the wage structure of the central government employees from January 2019, the GR stated.

President of the employees' association, Milind Sardeshmukh said that last year they had decided to go on strike twice on the same issue, but had called off the same. Despite the Chief Minister assuring us, nothing has happened and that is why we are on strike for three days, he added. He also said that the Class III and IV staff, employees of zilla parishads, municipal councils, teaching and non-teaching staff will also go on strike.

On Saturday, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had met government officials and members of the employees' association. Fadnavis had promised to provide benefits of the 7th Pay Commission from January 2019 and arrears from January 2016.