UP: Around 10 Lakh State Employees Plan Strike on May 18 Over OPS, Pay Commission Recommendations

Lucknow: Karmchari Shikshak Sanyukt Morcha, a joint forum of state employees, plans to launch a state-wide protest on May 18 demanding restoration of the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) for government employees and to oppose privatisation of public services, contractualisation of the workforce, and implementation of Pay Commission recommendations.

Around 10 lakh state government employees of various unions such as the Roadways Employees Union, Municipal Corporation and primary teachers will lend support to the Karmchari Shikshak Sanyukt Morcha in organising protests and demonstrations at the district level, which will finally culminate into a mega rally on May 18.

Shashi Mishra, general secretary of Karmchari Shikshak Sanyukt Morcha, speaking to NewsClick, said, "Our aim is to demand better jobs, curb privatisation and discontinue the trend of hiring contractual workers instead of permanent staff. Over the years, the government has diluted its role as a Welfare State which has led to declining incomes, increased job insecurity, and degrading working conditions.”

Besides the common demand for the restoration of OPS, different departments have their specific demands as well.  The Uttar Pradesh State Government Employees Federation (MSGEF) has also demanded that they should receive a dearness allowance on par with what the central government employees receive.

Uttar Pradesh Roadways workers have alleged that their salaries have not increased in the past five years even as inflation has made daily essential items dearer during this period.

"The way the government has imposed NPS on us is undemocratic. Besides, the trend of hiring contractual workers to manage the increased workload instead of hiring new staff is not acceptable. Our previous attempts to oppose these moves have been met with either deafening silence or brutal force to suppress protests and rallies. Thus, it is imperative to launch a united front on the lines of the farmers’ movement,” said the Uttar Pradesh Primary Teachers' Association general secretary Sushil Pandey.

They expressed resentment against the state government for not hearing their long-pending demand of cadre restructuring which pertains to several issues ranging from adequate promotions to allowance to other cadres. They said that for the last four-five decades, they haven't seen cadre restructuring and it has caused inconvenience to them.

The union said that a meeting was held on December 8, 2021, with the then chief secretary who had agreed to "look into" but even after two years, no initiative has been taken to fulfil their demands.

Karmchari Shikshak Sanyukt Morcha said that the presidents/secretaries of 75 districts of Uttar Pradesh and the State Employees Joint Council, Local Body Employees Federation, Roadways Employees Joint Council, State Corporation Employees Federation, Primary Teachers Association, Secondary Teachers' Union and Development Authority Employees Organisation have instructed the employees to attend the dharna on May 18 and help make the movement successful.

BP Mishra, President of the Indian Public Service Employees Federation contended if states like Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Punjab could implement the OPS, then UP could do it too. He said the government should correct its mistakes.

The union leaders asked, “When the judiciary and executive have the OPS, why not the government employees and teachers?”

The state employees accused the government of indirectly promoting privatisation in every department including the electricity distribution sector and have demanded permanent jobs for those working on a contract basis.

"The problems of paramedical staff in Anganwadi, Sahayika and Health Departments are lying unresolved. Ministers, government officials and department heads are not holding meetings on the problems of their employees. Contrary to the transfer policy of the government, the transfers of the employees/officials of the Health Department have not been cancelled," the union alleged.

Key Demands:

- Restoration of the old pension scheme

- Privatisation should not be done in government institutions.

 - Policy should be made for regularisation service security of outsourcing/contract/work charge employees.

- The National Pay Commission should be constituted.

- Salary anomalies of staff cadres, cadre restructuring, promulgation of service rules. Dearness allowance and other benefits should be given equally to the corporation employees running in loss.

 - Harassment of electricity employees should be ended, and agreements should be implemented.