J-K Govt employees go on strike

Work in government offices was affected across Kashmir valley today as several employees went of strike demanding enhancement of retirement age from 58 to 60 years.
The call for the state-wide strike was given by the Employees Joint Consultative Committee (EJCC), the umbrella body of government employees in the state.
There was a complete strike in government offices, public sector undertakings and government-run educational institutes.
However, some emergency services like hospitals were excluded from the strike.
EJCC, which is a conglomerate of various government employees' bodies and associations and represents over 4.5 lakh employees, had called for the strike today in support of their demands.

Besides enhancement of retirement age, the employees are demanding regularisation of daily workers and casual labourers, removal of pay anomaly of clerical cadre and budgetary support for public sector.

The employees had also held a protest march yesterday.
"There was a cent per cent response to the strike call. Every government office was closed including the civil secretariat," EJCC leader Qayoom Wani said.
He said the government is continuing its "criminal silence" on the issues of the employees, so there was no option left other than to protest.