Adhikari Karmchari Shikshak Samanvaya Samiti (AKSSS), the joint federation of the State Government employees, resumed its agitation on Tuesday with the members donning black arm bands by way of protesting against the State Government’s stance regarding their issues. The spokesperson of the federation Arun Pandey claimed that the call given by the AKSSS was a complete success. “The employees uploaded their pictures on different WhatsApp groups which showed that they worked while sporting the black arm bands,” he said.
Pandey further said that the employees are agitated over the queer role of the state government vis-a-vis the court orders. “It is implementing with a gusto all such court rulings which are inimical to the interests of the employees while it is maintaining a studied silence on the court orders which are beneficial for the workers like similar payment for similar work, pension fixation and regularisation. We are protesting against this,” he said.
Notably, in support of their ten- point charter of demands, AKSSS had given a call for mass leave on January 31 which proved successful. Later, the state government had accepted the demand of increasing the House Rent Allowance (HRA). However, other demands of the employees remained unfulfilled.
As per the agitation plan, the employees would work wearing black arm bands on Wednesday also. Besides, AKSSS would hold candle marches in all the district headquarters from February 15. On February 24, AKSSS would hold rallies at all the district headquarters. On this day, the executive body of AKSS would hold a meeting in Dehradun to declare the date of the indefinite strike they would embark on.
The employees are demanding the benefit of Assured Career Progression (ACP) be given to them at the end of 10, 16 and 26 years of service. Besides, they are demanding the old pension scheme be restored and compulsion of referral from the Atal Ayushman Uttarakhand scheme be removed. AKSSS is further demanding that the class IV employees should be given benefit of staffing pattern in which grade pay of Rs 4200 is provided to them.