Patiala, Punjab: Municipal Corporation staff in Patiala have been holding protests for the last four days, demanding a salary increment and an increase in government contribution to their New Pension Scheme (NPS) accounts.
The protests, which are being organized by the Municipal Workers’ Union, have been causing disruptions to work at the office for two hours every day.
The union’s general secretary, Sumit Kumar, said that the annual salary increment for class A and B category employees of the corporation was earlier done at the level of the Corporation Commissioner. However, new orders promulgated by the Local Government Department have removed the drawing and disbursal powers from the hands of Commissioners, and the same will now be done by the office of Director, LG. The union wants the department to reverse these orders.
The employees also want the government to enhance its contribution to their NPS accounts by 4 percent. Kumar said that the government is contributing 14 percent of the basic salary to the accounts of all employees hired after 2004 at other departments, but is contributing only 10 percent to the accounts of municipal corporation employees.
In addition to these demands, the employees also want the government to provide gratuity and family pensions to employees hired after 2004.
The union has said that all class A, B, C, and D workers of the corporation will hold a two-hour strike every day from 9 to 11 AM until their demands are met.