Chandigarh, Sep 9 (PTI) Punjab ministerial employees on Wednesday called off their pen-down strike after an assurance by the chief secretary that show-cause notices for disciplinary action against them will be withdrawn.
The development came after representatives of the Punjab Sanjha Mulzam Manch on Wednesday held talks with Chief Secretary K A P Sinha here.
During the meeting, Sinha assured them that the show-cause notices will be withdrawn, the employees’ representatives said.
The employees on Tuesday had announced an extension of their pen-down till September 11, while the state government decided to implement ‘no work, no pay’.
Protesting employees were demanding withdrawal of show-cause notices for disciplinary action over “unauthorised” absence on August 27 when they went on a statewide strike.
Employees on August 27 were on leave. They were not “unauthorised” absent, the leader said.
It is a small victory for employees, the leader added.
A pen-down strike on Tuesday adversely affected the administrative work in government offices in the state.
The deadlock began August 27 when over three lakh government employees went on a statewide strike by availing mass casual leave, pressing the state government to accept their various demands, including release of their pending 18 per cent Dearness Allowance.
A meeting between the Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and the representatives of employees’ bodies could not take place on August 27 as Mann made it clear that talks could only be held after they call off their strike.
On September 4, the Punjab government announced a DA hike for around 85,000 government employees recruited after July 17, 2020, from 42 per cent to 60 per cent.
The decision covers employees recruited under the post-2020 regime whose pay is based on the central government’s 7th Pay Commission pattern.
However, it will not benefit employees recruited before July 17, 2020.
Employees remained adamant on their demand for clearance of DA arrears as per directions of the Punjab and Haryana High Court.
The Punjab government has moved the Supreme Court challenging the High Court order directing it to release all pending DA and dearness relief dues to state employees and pensioners within a fortnight, contending that the direction to pay arrears totalling around Rs 14,191 crore in such a short period was impossible. PTI CHS APL APL
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