NU non-teaching staff sport black ribbon over 7th pay delay

Nagpur: Non-teaching employees of Nagpur University have started sporting black ribbons to mark their protest against the state government’s delay in implementing the Seventh Pay Commission recommendations for them. On Thursday, over 100 employees carried out a rally within the NU’s main building premises and gathered under the VC chamber porch to raise slogans.
They demanded that the goverenment immediate fix their payscales as per new standards, revise its decision to cut posts, and fill up vacancies.
VC SP Kane, Pro-VC Pramod Yeole and acting registrar Vinayak Deshpande left the premises moments before the protest.
The government has already fixed the pay as per the new system for teachers. However, in some universities, including the Nagpur University, the new pay-scale has not been implemented for non-teaching employees due to a court case. The 7th Pay Commission was implemented on February 20.
The protesters under Maharashtra University Employees Federation have been stepping up their stir each day since June 10.
The staffers have also presented 27 other demands, but the 7th Pay Commission implementation is the most important demand, the federation said.
On June 18, the federation members will take out a rally to the office of joint director of higher education at Morris College T-point.
The employees have already submitted memorandums to the joint director, vice-chancellor SP Kane and acting registrar Vinayak Deshpande.
In case the NU and government fails to address the issue, the employees have warned of going on indefinite strike from July 3 which may also affect declaration of results.