The Central government has issued a stern caution to its employees, advising them against participating in a rally advocating for the revival of the Old Pension Scheme (OPS). The Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) released an order emphasizing that any form of strike, including protests, would lead to repercussions, potentially involving salary deductions and disciplinary measures.
New Delhi: With approximately 30.13 lakh Central government employees as of March 1, 2022, the restoration of the OPS stands as a pivotal electoral concern. In contrast to the market-linked New Pension Scheme (NPS) with government-matched contributions, the OPS guarantees a post-retirement income, often around 50% of the final salary. Employees who joined service in 2004 were mandatorily enrolled in the NPS.
The NPS encompasses 23,65,693 Central government employees and 60,32,768 State government employees as of January 31.
Asserting that forming associations doesn't grant an automatic right to strike, the DoPT highlighted that there's no statutory provision empowering employees to engage in strikes. The Supreme Court has consistently upheld that striking constitutes a serious breach of Conduct Rules, necessitating legal repercussions. The DoPT stressed that a consultative machinery for Central government employees already exists to foster harmonious relations between employees and the government.
A set of 2008 instructions disallow government servants from partaking in strikes or actions abetting strikes. The DoPT underscored that unauthorized absences result in inadmissible pay and allowances. Secretaries of Ministries were urged to discourage employees from participating in strikes and to facilitate the unhindered entry of willing employees into office premises. Additionally, a contingency plan was recommended to ensure continued ministry/department operations during potential protests or strikes. The DoPT mandated that details of participating employees be conveyed to the department on the day of the strike.