Government staff stir on August 7 planned

Unlike in the past, employees in medical and health services, water supply department and milk scheme would also join the one-day strike, he added.

He alleged that the State Government was making a misleading statement that it would be required to shoulder a huge annual financial burden of over Rs 5,000 crore if the Fifth Pay Commission recommendations are implemented.

According to him, the total burden would not ecxeed Rs 800 crore. If the State Government finds any difficulties in shouldering the additional burden, then it should take employees organisations into confidence.

But the State Government is neither taking steps toimplement the recommendations nor coming out with a detailed statement about its financial position.

To register protest against the inaction, the EF has decided to observe one-day token strike, he said justifying the strike decision.

Desai also demanded scrapping of professional tax, recalling that the tax was introduced only to raise funds to run the Employment Guarantee Scheme and it was also assured by the State Government that the professional tax would not be a permanent feature.

About the issue of lowering the retirement age of government employees, he said the EF has welcomed the reported move to restore the retirement age of 58 years. The EF is prepared to accept the retirement of 56 years if the State Government agrees to provide jobs to employees wards as a matter of right, he said.

Sunil Chitnavis of Shikshak Sena, TR Shinde, Mahesh Newarekar, Vijay Kewalramani, SS Supare and Mukundrao Pannase were present at press conference.

The EF today held a protest meeting in city to warn that itwould go ahead with the strike decision if the State Government ignored the warning.