SRINAGAR: The government in Jammu and Kashmir has appealed to employees to cancel a proposed statewide strike call, saying their demands were being reviewed.
The Joint Consultative Comittee – an amalgam of many trade unions – has called for a strike on August 23 over demands which include raising the retirement age bar from 58 to 60 years.
The government has urged its employees to reconsider going on a strike to avoid causing “misery” to people.
“As for as the demands of government employees are concerned no breakthrough is possible yet, but their demands are under examination. The employees should think that by giving these strike calls they are making people to suffer,” Chief Secretary Muhammad Iqbal Khanday told a local news agency, KNS.
Nearly half a million employees having been holding periodic protests since last year over demands like regularization of daily and need-based workers who have been engaged after 1994, removal of pay anomalies of clerical cadre and budgetary support to sick public sector corporations for payment of wages to workers.
Also they want the retirement age to be raised by two years to 60.
In 2012, JCC leaders signed a pact with government over its demands but later they accused the government of backtracking from its promise.
Meanwhile, Minster for Rural Development, Ali Muhammad Sagar told the agency “Government is open for talks to sort out the issues with the employees. They should come forward. The employees draw salaries even in hartal days. It is the common people who suffered.”
“Such a mindset is legally and morally wrong. The JCC leaders must not politicize the issue of employees,” he said.
“They should call off their call as government is on job to fulfil their demands,” he added.
