Over 2 million government employees are angry, anxious and dejected over salaries, hikes and job security

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Over 2 million government employees are angry, anxious and dejected over salaries, hikes and job security
IANS

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  • Millions of government employees across multiple state-owned companies are either anxious, ready to protest and have even taken to roads — to make sure they get their due.
  • Thousands of employees have taken to roads, protesting over delays.
  • As many as 25,000 home guards in Uttar Pradesh police department lost their jobs overnight.
  • Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) also dismissed the employees' demand for higher wage revision saying that "workmen cannot be at par with officers on salaries and perks.”
During bad times, there is nothing like a secure job — even when you are employed with the government. As many as two millions government employees across multiple state-owned companies are either anxious, ready to protest and have even taken to roads — to make sure they get their due.

This is extra pain on the Indian economy as millions of blue collar jobs have already been lost in the last few months — across auto, textile and diamond polishing sectors.

Delayed salaries and job cuts
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The worst-affected of all government employees are the 176,000 at telecom operator BSNL. In the last few months, the debt-ridden company has been paying salaries two weeks late. While the government is still mulling a bailout package, the employees are left in doldrums.

Another 20,000 employees of Air India are just as angry and anxious about their future. And, the government has already decided their fate — which is a sell-off. The pilots union has already told the government that they will go for mass resignations if the national carrier lands in the hands of a private entity — which is sure to downsize.
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Wage revisions are too little, too late

As many wonder about the state of their employment, others are annoyed with delayed wage revisions. As many as 20,000 workers and a few officers of Bangalore-headquartered Hindustan Aeronautics (HAL) are protesting against low salary hikes.

The company dismissed their demand for higher wage revision saying, "workmen cannot be at par with officers on salaries and perks.” “We hope this realization will percolate to the employees sooner to make them call off their indefinite strike," HAL Chief Financial Officer C B Ananthakrishnan told IANS.

Employees of public sector banks — which employs nearly 800,000 people — also seem to be unhappy with the wage revision as the bankers association decided to offer one month extra salary without reaching a consensus with the bank unions. They are expected to go on a strike on October 22.

Interestingly, the wage revision was due since 2017 in both cases.
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State government employees lose jobs and hope

The employees of state governments have their own set of problems.

Over 49,000 Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TSRTC) employees have been on a 12-day long protest, demanding salaries for September.

But, not just delayed payments, job loss is hurting the most vulnerable of employees. As many as 25,000 home guards in Uttar Pradesh police department lost jobs as the government could not afford to pay the salaries at par. And, the administration called it a ‘resource constraint.’

Abiding by the Supreme Court verdict, the department was liable to pay the increased salaries at ₹672 per day to the home guards — who are paid ₹500 as of now. But, it slashed the workforce to 65,000, in order to compensate for the hike.
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See also:
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