7th Pay Commission pay hike: Warning! These employees threatened Modi govt to stage protest if old pension scheme not restored

7th Pay Commission: Already on warpath demanding hike in pay and fitment factor beyond the recommendations of the 7th Pay Commission report, Railway employees under the banner of All India Railway Men's Federation (AIRMF) may resort to agitational path, demanding restoration of old pension. This is what was one of the key issues discussed during Northern Railway Men's Union Karkhana Mandal Parishad meeting where AIRMF General Secretary Shiv Gopal Mishra stated that employees should be ready to launch a strike to put a pressure on the government.

Mishra flayed the government for introducing the National Pension Scheme (NPS) saying employees have already been incapacitated after shedding of old pension scheme. He also stated that now employees are also feeling the threat of privatisation, therefore, barring protest no option seems to be left. Reports say that he said the strike is the last weapon in our hand and this step would be taken only when there is on other way left. 

Further, he stated that policies framed seem to be anti-employees. If we fail to persuade the government to change its policies, we will not shy away from uprooting the ruling dispensation, he threatened. 

Notably, the employees are strategising on large scale to launch an agitation across the nation demanding restoration of old pension and dearness allowances beyond the 7th Pay Commission recommendation. 

Meanwhile, the AIRMF's key demands include filling up of over 1.30 lakh vacant posts immediately, besides providing kilometer allowance for running staff according to the 7th pay commission report.

Recently, Mamata Banerjee-led West Bengal government extended higher pay for over 8 lakh state government employees. The employees will be getting higher pay from January 2019. The decision was taken in June last year but has come into force from this month. 

Prior to this, over 20 lakh government employees of Maharashtra have also got the 7th pay commission salary hike.

In August 2018, the Central government had raised the DA of its employees to 9 per cent from 7 per cent.