Central Government Employees not to go on strike on May 23 over ‘7th Pay Commission allowances’

Central Government Employees not to go on strike on May 23 over ‘7th Pay Commission allowances’

New Delhi: Central government employees’ will not to go on strike on May 23 in protest at the “government inaction” on fulfilling their demands, including hike in allowance as per the 7th Pay Commission recommendations.

No central government office will be closed at any part of the country and the trains will also be running on May 23.

The Confederation of central government employees, has temporarily postponed the strike scheduled on May 23 following assurance of government to hike allowances shortly.

“The strike has been put on hold for now following the assurance of government. However, the confederation will make sure that the genuine demands of the employees are met with,” a top leader of confederation, who did not wish to be named told us.

“In view of government’s assurance to hike allowances shortly, our strike on May 23 stands deferred,” he added.

The Confederation of central government employees had given the strike call protesting against the delay in allowance hike as per the revised 7th Pay Commission recommendations.

The confederation is opposed to the government’s delaying tactics to hike allowances of central government employee.

After the government implemented the recommendation of the 7th Pay Commission from January 1, 2016 in respect of basic pay and dearness allowances, the Committee on Allowances, headed by Finance Secretary Ashok Lavasa was constituted in June last year.

The 7th Pay Commission had recommended that of a total of 196 allowances, 52 be abolished altogether and 36 be abolished as separate identities by subsuming them in another allowance, which triggered resentment among central government employees that governments complied with formation of the Committee on Allowances.

The Committee on Allowances had submitted its report to Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on April 27.

The report is being currently examined by the Department of Expenditure. It will be placed before the Empowered Committee of Secretaries (E-CoS) set up to screen the 7th Pay Commission recommendations and to firm up the proposal for approval of the Cabinet.

The central government employees now get all allowances except dearness allowance at the old rates until the cabinet approval of higher allowances.