Government employees threaten mass leave on September 8, demand withdrawal of notice

Punjab government employees on Sunday threatened to proceed on mass leave again on September 8 if the state government fails to withdraw by September 7 its directive for action against employees who participated in the August 27 statewide “Maha Hartal”.

The decision was taken at a meeting of employee organisations in Ludhiana, where the Punjab Sanjha Mulazam Manch and associated unions announced a fresh programme of protests over pending service demands and the government’s decision to seek action against employees allegedly absent without authorisation during last week’s strike.

More than three lakh government employees had participated in the August 27 protest, while several lakh pensioners extended support. The strike affected functioning across government offices, with outpatient services at several government hospitals also disrupted. Employees have been pressing for the release of pending dearness allowance (DA), restoration of the Old Pension Scheme (OPS), regularisation of contractual workers and resolution of other service-related issues.

Unions escalate agitation after government action

The latest confrontation follows a government directive asking administrative secretaries and heads of departments to identify employees who were allegedly absent without authorisation on August 27. Disciplinary authorities were directed to issue show-cause notices and proceed in accordance with applicable service rules.

Employee organisations have challenged the government’s description of their absence as “unauthorised”. Union leaders maintain that employees had applied for casual leave in advance and that the administration was already aware of the planned protest. Some government departments have also reportedly informed the authorities that no employees under them were found to have been absent without authorisation and that leave had been taken in accordance with office records.

Union leaders have demanded that the government withdraw the directive by September 7, failing which employees will again proceed on mass leave the following day.

Protests at ministers’ residences planned

The unions have drawn up a wider agitation programme beyond the September 8 mass leave. According to decisions taken at Sunday’s Ludhiana meeting, district-level meetings will be held on September 6 to mobilise employees for the next phase.

If the dispute remains unresolved, employees plan to hold demonstrations and gherao the residences of Punjab ministers on September 12 and 13. Further protests are planned outside the residence of the state education minister on September 19 and 20, followed by a march towards the Punjab Assembly in Chandigarh on September 30. A larger rally has also been proposed in Sangrur on October 10.

The unions have announced a campaign targeting Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann over what they describe as the government’s failure to resolve their demands despite repeated representations and negotiations.

DA, pension scheme at heart of dispute

The confrontation has been building over several demands, including the release of 18 per cent pending DA, implementation of the Old Pension Scheme and regularisation of contractual employees. Employees are also seeking restoration of the Assured Career Progression scheme and Punjab pay scales for those recruited after July 17, 2020.

Other demands concern minimum wages for mid-day meal, ASHA and Anganwadi workers and the settlement of pending arrears and service-related issues.

The August 27 strike followed a breakdown in talks between the government and employee representatives. Chief Minister Mann had been scheduled to meet union representatives in Jalandhar that day, but the meeting was cancelled amid the strike.

With the government now pursuing possible disciplinary proceedings and unions announcing another round of mass leave and demonstrations, the dispute appears set to intensify unless the two sides return to negotiations before the September 7 deadline.