Central, State govt staff stir

Bangalore, dhns: The State and Central Government employees and teachers will strike work across the country on October 30, to protest ‘anti-worker’ policies adopted by governments and push demands, including scrapping of the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) Bill.

Speaking at a joint convention of the Akhila Karnataka State Government Employees’ Federation and the Confederation of Central Government Employees and Workers on Wednesday, CCGEW Secretary-General S K Vyas said the decision to strike was taken because possibilities of a negotiation had been exhausted.

Vyas pointed out that the Union Government had gone ahead with the implementation of the PFRDA Bill, though it was yet to be passed in the Parliament. He said the downsizing of government departments was aimed at rendering these departments invalid, so that the private sector could take over them.

Designs slammed

Speaking on the occasion, V Muthukumaran, president, Central Government Employees and Workers’ Coordination Committee, said the origins of the PFRDA Bill could be traced to reports of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, much ahead of the 2003 notification issued in this regard by the National Democratic Alliance Government.

Mr Muthukumaran also claimed that the intention behind the Bill was diversion of Foreign Direct Investment into the share markets.

The joint convention, in the presence of U D Narasimhaiah, President, AKSGEF, called upon Central and State Government employees and teachers to organise campaign programmes to mobilise support for the 12-point charter of demands, between October 1 and 20.