Maharashtra State government and semi-government employees, teachers and non-teaching staff are extremely upset due to the complete neglect of their just demands by the current Maha Vikas Aghadi government of Maharashtra. Those demands include reinstatement of old pension scheme, urgent filling of vacancies etc. Co-ordination committee of their organizations has issued a circular to all their members to participate whole-heartedly in the nation-wide strike on 23-24 February 2022 and unitedly raise their demands.
(English translation of Marathi circular)
Circular of the Government, Semi-Government Employees, Teachers’ Organisations Coordination Committee
Apply the old pension to all employees and teachers!
State-wide strike
of government and semi-government & teaching and non-teaching staff
on 23, 24 February 2022 (2 days)
Brothers and sisters,
Under the leadership of the State Government Employees Central Organization, we organised a successful 3-day state-wide strike on 7, 8 and 9 August 2018. Our struggle led to the successful implementation of the Seventh Pay Commission. Importantly, we kept insisting that the unjust new pension scheme should be cancelled and old pension scheme should be applied to all, which led the then state government to form a study committee under the chairmanship of the state finance minister on 19 January 2019. This committee held a few meetings but no final decision was taken on scrapping the New Pension Scheme (NPS). Meanwhile, the central government has amended the NPS. However, the state government has not taken any positive decision on this for employee–teachers’ welfare. Therefore, the state employees and teachers who fall under the NPS are extremely angry. On 29 October 2021, all state employees united to successfully observe “NPS Hatao Din” and organised “sit-in” protests in front of all offices to bring attention to their important demands. However, the government seems to be acting very slowly on this question. That is why, the anxiety about this matter is rising rapidly. Emerging from this anger, we can sense the spirit for organising a huge struggle to solve this question in people across Maharashtra.
Currently in Maharashtra there is Maha Vikas Aghadi government. For the past two years, we have been overwhelmed by the corona outbreak. However, during this period, state government and other employees have bravely risked their lives at the “frontline” to control the pandemic. State employees and teachers gave their complete co-operation during the pandemic. Therefore, we rightly expect the government to carry out their duty of fulfilling our pending demands.
To address the matters affecting government and semi-government staff & teaching and non-teaching staff, we have made many efforts in writing and verbally for a meeting with the honourable Chief Minister and for ensuring that a decisive discussion is held at a high level. The discussion sessions organised by the honourable Chief Secretary of the state were postponed three times. It is unfortunate that these discussions could not be held. Decisive actions on the following demands are long overdue: give old pension to all, publish the second part of the Bakshi Committee report, give all allowances given by the central government, fill all vacant positions on priority (especially in the health sector), give appointments on the basis of unconditional compassion, change the age of retirement to 60 years, implement the policy of advance pay increase, retain Group D posts, solve any service-related issues faced by teaching and non-teaching staff and solve the problems faced by nurses and other health workers.
Brothers and sisters, even if the economic and service-related attacks made on us do not seem fierce due to our unbreakable unity in the last two years, the government’s neglect of our abovementioned demands is a matter of great concern. The government’s current actions hint at greater attacks in the future. To avoid the possible misfortune of future workers, we must show them the power of our unity as it is the need of the hour.
In the past, we have tried to get the government’s attention to our demands through representative organisational actions. However, the state administration has not responded to our constant requests. This makes us wonder: do the central and state governments only understand the language of the aggressive agitations of farmers and ST workers?
It is important that at the union level, we think seriously of our pending demands and the government’s neglect. Considering the current situation as a whole, the nature of our potential struggle has to be intense and effective. That is why, as per the decision taken by the state administration committee on 16 January 2022, we will organise a 2-day state-wide strike on 23 and 24 February 2022. The constituents of the Coordination Committee will participate actively in this strike.
Major trade unions of the country have called for a strike on 23 and 24 February. We will participate in the workers’ national strike called by the All-India State Government Employees Federation by striking for 2 days. All brothers and sisters should note that this will also ensure that our strike is effective and gains wide attention.
23, 24 February, Zindabad!
Long live the nationwide union power!
Yours faithfully,
Vishvas Katkar
General Secretary
State Government Employees Central Organization
Ph: 98210 04233