Chandigarh: Punjab government employees have called off their pen-down strike after the state government assured them that no punitive action would be taken against those who participated in the August 27 mass leave protest. The decision followed talks between employee representatives and Chief Secretary KAP Sinha (IAS: 1992: Punjab).
The latest development temporarily eases the standoff between the state government and employee organisations, which has centred on pending Dearness Allowance (DA) arrears, disciplinary action and other service-related demands.
Show-Cause Notices at Centre of Dispute
The immediate trigger for the latest agitation was the government’s action against employees who were absent during the August 27 statewide protest.
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More than 3 lakh government employees had participated in the August 27 agitation, according to reports. The government subsequently directed departments to issue show-cause notices to employees whose absence was treated as unauthorised.
The employees had demanded:
- Withdrawal of action over the August 27 protest
- Release of pending DA arrears
- Implementation of the Old Pension Scheme (OPS)
- Regularisation of contractual employees
- Other pay and service-related demands
Government Had Invoked ‘No Work, No Pay’
The dispute intensified after ministerial employees began a pen-down strike on September 8. The government responded by invoking the “no work, no pay” principle for employees who remained away from their duties during working hours and warned of possible disciplinary action.
Cabinet Minister Aman Arora had earlier termed the proposed agitation illegal and urged employees to return to work, while maintaining that the DA issue was before the Supreme Court.
Strike Ends, Wider DA Dispute Continues
Following discussions with employee representatives, Chief Secretary KAP Sinha assured them that the show-cause notices would be withdrawn and that punitive action would not be pursued in connection with the protest. The employees subsequently called off the pen-down strike.
However, the withdrawal of the pen-down strike does not mean that all employee demands have been resolved. Employee organisations have continued to press for settlement of their broader demands, particularly the pending DA arrears.
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