By IANS,
Mumbai : Work in Maharashtra government departments was paralysed as nearly two million employees, including teachers, went on a day’s strike Tuesday demanding better pay and working conditions, an official said.
The strike, in which gazetted officers and medicos did not participate, paralysed work in most departments, especially revenue and education, though essential services were not affected, said Maharashtra State Government Employees Confederation president Yogiraj Khonde.
They were demanding “full and proper implementation” of the sixth pay commission recommendations, hiking the retirement age from 58 to 60 years for all, parity of state dearness allowance (DA) with the central government employees’ DA and a five-day week, Khonde said.
“If the government fails to conceded our demands, then we shall go on an indefinite strike from Dec 20,” Khonde told IANS.
He said that the strike was “a hundred percent success” with all non-gazetted and lower level employees keeping away from work.
Rallies and processions were held in all district headquarters and Mumbai where thousands of employees took part.
The proposal for the indefinite strike – starting Dec 20 – comes when the winter session of the state legislature is likely to be held in Nagpur, with the civic body elections round the corner.