SRINAGAR, May 24: Schools and offices in Kashmir were affected Thursday due to a pen-down strike by employees over pending demands for a raise in their retirement age.
Employees in government offices abstained from work and schools were closed as teachers remained absent forcing students to skip classes also.
Nearly half a million government employees in Jammu and Kashmir are on strike demanding enhancement in retirement age from 58 to 60 years among other things.
“We are also demanding fulfillment of promises that were made to us by the government like payment of pending 6th pay commission arrears, removal of pay anomalies, regularisation of daily wagers and contractual employees,” a member of Joint Consultative Committee-a union of all employees- Subhash Verma told reporters.
The pen-down strike today is part of the three-day strike called by JCC. “On 25th of May we will ghearao the civil secretariat and march to Raj Bhavan in Srinagar on the 26th May 26 to hold protest demonstration in support of our demands,” Verma said.
