Work hit as employees go on pen-down strike

Our Correspondent

Mohali, October 20

Employees of the offices of the DC, SDM and Tehsil went on a strike here today, adversely affecting work.

No work was carried on in these offices throughout the day and people had to face a harrowing time.

Over 120 employees were on a pen-down strike. They sat in their offices without working. They also held a rally and raised slogans against the Punjab Government.

Om Parkash, chairman of the DC Office Employees Union, Punjab, said the strike would continue tomorrow as well.

He said there was a shortage of staff in offices, especially in Pathankot, Nawanshahr and Faridkot. As many as 23 tehsils were also facing a staff shortage and the government was not taking any action to solve the problem.

He said the government called employees’ representatives for meetings when protests were held but later failed to implement promises made by it.

Om Parkash said no DA had been paid since January this year. Arrears relating to DA for the past two years had also not been cleared. No pay commission was being set up by the government, which adversely affected interests of employees.

If the government failed to concede the employees’ demands, the strike would again be started from November 1 and continue till the election code of conduct was imposed, he added.