Ministerial Services Union to go on protest leave on Oct 29-30
Miffed over the delay in redressing the demands of government employees such as restoration of the Old Pension Scheme, DA arrears and issuing installments, rectification of Pay Commission errors etc, the state body of the Punjab State Ministerial Services Union (PSMSU) today held a rally and protest march at Company Bagh against the Punjab government with black flags. The ministerial employees have also announced that they would observe a Black Diwali.
PSMSU district general secretary Jagdish Thakur and district finance secretary Mandeep Singh Chauhan said that after the demands were accepted by CM Bhagwant Mann in a meeting held on December 18, 2023, a letter was issued on January 29, 2024. “Due to lack of notification of demands, the struggle has to be started again. As a protest, the ministerial employees of all the departments will go on collective leave on October 29-30 and completely stop the work of the government,” said Thakur.
He added that if Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann does not hold a meeting with the state committee and if the demands are not notified, the employees will be forced to celebrate Black Diwali and a strict boycott of the government in the four districts will be exercised.
A few days back, the Democratic Teachers’ Front (DTF) and other state government teachers’ bodies had also announced to observe a Black Diwali, for delaying relief in matters of importance pertaining to wage hike, teacher transfers, recruitment on vacant posts and revival of 37 allowances.
