Government employees demand implementation of the old pension scheme, outside Mantralaya on Wednesday. (Express photo by Ganesh Shirsekar) Thousands of employees of the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) continued to protest for the second day on Wednesday. Seeking implementation of the Old Pension Scheme (OPS), protesters continued the strike despite a warning of disciplinary action. Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Commissioner Shekhar Singh has issued notices to 1,200 employees, asking them to return to work.
“Our strike has been 100 per cent successful,” Baban Zinjurde, president of Pimpri-Chinchwad Mahanagarpalika Karmachari Mahasangh, said. “Employees linked to emergency services are not participating,” he stressed.
Zinjurde, who is leading the protest of staff of municipal corporations, and other state government bodies, said the strike will continue indefinitely till the government agrees to implement the OPS. “The strike is n ot only in Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation or Pune Municipal Corporation. It is across the state. “The implementation of the OPS is not their only demand. “We have placed 26 demands,” he said.
Meanwhile, the PCMC chief asserted, “Emergency services have not been affected. Wherever staff is required, we are roping in outsourced employees to do the job.”
“Only 10-20 per cent of the work has been affected related to property and water tax collection, and work of clerical nature, appointments, or transfers. Around 3,900 employees are on strike while 2,400 are working on emergency services,” said PCMC Deputy Municipal Commissioner Sunil Joshi.
Joshi said the PCMC chief has issued notices to the employees who are already availing the OPS. “When these employees are already getting the old pension scheme why are they protesting?” he asked, adding they have been asked to report to work immediately.
The union, however, said these employees are extending their support to their colleagues by participating in the strike.