Mumbai: State government employees have announced an indefinite strike from April 21, pressing for the restoration of the old pension scheme and clearance of pending dues, a move likely to disrupt administrative work across departments.
The Government, Semi-Government, Teaching and Non-Teaching Staff Coordination Committee said on Monday that the then Eknath Shinde-led government had assured resolution of their grievances, including implementation of a revised pension scheme from March 1, 2024. However, no notification has been issued over the past two years, it said, adding that employees who retired after the cut-off date have been unable to avail of the revised pension benefits.
An estimated 17 lakh employees, including teachers and non-teaching staff, are expected to participate in the strike. Their demands include restoration of the old pension scheme for teachers appointed before November 1, 2005, filling 35 per cent of vacant posts to ease workload, introduction of an improved career progression scheme, and implementation of a cashless health insurance scheme.
In a statement, the employee unions said, “We had presented 17 key demands to the Eknath Shinde government. We were given a formal assurance that decisions regarding these demands would be made following independent discussions at the Chief Secretary level. However, during the 15-month tenure of the current Mahayuti government, our demands have been completely ignored. It is incomprehensible that a government calling itself ‘sensitive’ would keep the doors to dialogue closed without giving the organisation an opportunity to be heard. The government’s stance of refusing to engage in discussion is inherently anti-employee.”
Meanwhile, the General Administration Department (GAD) has issued a circular warning that participation in the strike will be treated as misconduct, inviting disciplinary action. It reiterated that the “No Work, No Pay” policy will be enforced for the duration of the strike. In services covered under the Maharashtra Essential Services Maintenance Act (MESMA), employees joining the strike may face legal action under the Act.
Department heads have been directed not to leave their headquarters during the strike period. The circular also states that no leave will be sanctioned while the strike is underway, and police assistance may be sought to ensure offices function according to schedule.
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