Telangana government employees plan peaceful strike on October 2

Talks between Telangana government employees and Chief Secretary Sanjay Jaju remained inconclusive on Monday. TGEJAC representatives are planning a peaceful strike on October 2 over demands including a PRC announcement, pending DAs and bills, and retirement benefits for pensioners.

Hyderabad: Talks between State government employees and Chief Secretary Sanjay Jaju over their long-pending issues remained inconclusive on Monday. Accordingly, office bearers of employees, teachers and pensioners associations are planning to stage a peaceful strike on October 2.

The Chief Secretary held a meeting with representatives of the Telangana Government Employees Joint Action Committee (TGEJAC), an umbrella organisation of teachers, employees and pensioners associations, on Monday afternoon.

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However, there was no positive announcement from the meeting. It was decided that another meeting would be held later in the day after speaking to Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka. But, with the Deputy Chief Minister in Tirupati, the talks were eventually postponed to Tuesday.

“There was no progress or conclusive decision taken. Unconvinced by the government approach, plans are being made to stage a peaceful strike on October 2 with office bearers of 206 associations,” a TGEJAC member said.

The member said employees were left with no option. Considering the State government’s appeals, employees had already been patient in pressing their demands. Things were now getting tough, the member said.

The employees have been demanding a Pay Revision Commission (PRC) announcement, clearance of their pending DAs and bills, retirement benefits for pensioners and resolution of other issues.

Already, protests were staged at the Secretariat and all District Collector offices across the State. They had also planned a “Chalo Hyderabad” programme on September 10. However, following an appeal from the government in the wake of the Assembly session, the protest programme was cancelled.

The government had also assured the employees that talks would be held on September 18. The meeting was later extended to September 21. Based on the outcome of Tuesday’s talks, the employees would declare their plan of action.