Karnal: Clerical employees demand wage increase, stage dharna

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Karnal, July 7

Demanding a hike in their salary, clerical employees under the banner of the Clerical Association Welfare Society Haryana staged a protest here on Sunday.

Want salary scale of Rs 35,400

Clerical employees under the banner of the Clerical Association Welfare Society Haryana have been demanding a salary scale of Rs 35,400 from Rs 21,700, promotion after eight years and exemption from computer test for the widows of the employees under ex-gratia scheme. They also want the vacant posts to be filled.

The protest began at Fountain Park in Sector 12 and the protesters were to gherao the Chief Minister Camp Office. As NHM employees were staging a dharna there, the employees protested near the Deputy Commissioner’s residence on Mall Road.

Sanjay Bathla, OSD to the Chief Minister, tried to pacify the protesters by assuring them of a meeting with Chief Minister Nayab Singh Sani, but the employees insisted on getting a written assurance.

Thereafter, a meeting was arranged between representatives of the Clerical Association Welfare Society Haryana and the Chief Minister at the BJP’s district office here.

After meeting the Chief Minister, protesters ended their dharna. They have been assured of a formal meeting with the Chief Minister, along with officials of the department, in Chandigarh on July 10 to discuss their demands.

Baljeet Singh Joon, state president of the association, said they had no option but to protest as their demands had not been accepted so far.

The employees have been demanding a salary scale of Rs 35,400 from Rs 21,700, promotion after eight years and exemption from computer test for the widows of the employees under ex-gratia scheme. They also want the vacant posts to be filled.

Joon said they had staged a protest on June 18, 2023, and later, they protested for 42 days across the state to press their demands. Thereafter, the government had raised their salary scale to Rs 21,700 against Rs 35,400, he said.

“If our demands are not met, we will leave with no option but to go on an indefinite strike,” Joon added.

He said despite raising the issue on various platforms, the government had not accepted their demands.