Chandigarh: A crucial meeting scheduled between Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and representatives of state government employee organisations was cancelled on Thursday, amid an ongoing standoff over employees’ demands, including pending Dearness Allowance (DA) instalments and restoration of the Old Pension Scheme (OPS).
The meeting was scheduled to take place at 1 pm, with the Chief Minister expected to hold talks with employee leaders in an attempt to resolve the continuing dispute. However, the talks did not take place after the two sides remained at odds over the ongoing strike.
The cancellation has further added to uncertainty surrounding the dispute, with no fresh date announced for negotiations so far.
Bhagwant Mann Asks Employees To Call Off Strike
Ahead of the proposed meeting, CM Bhagwant Mann had appealed to government employees to end their strike and return to the negotiating table.
The Chief Minister’s position was that negotiations and a strike could not continue simultaneously.
According to an employee leader quoted by Babushahi, the government conveyed that the Chief Minister was prepared to meet the representatives if employee leaders first released a video on social media announcing that they were ending their strike.
The employee organisations, however, refused to accept the condition.
They maintained that their agitation would continue until their demands were addressed and declined to withdraw the strike before holding talks with the government.
What Are Punjab Government Employees Demanding?
Among the major issues raised by the protesting employees are the release of pending DA instalments and the restoration of the Old Pension Scheme.
The cancellation of Thursday’s meeting means that the government and employee organisations remain locked in a stalemate, with neither side indicating an immediate change in its position.
The development has also triggered further resentment among sections of government employees participating in the agitation.
It remains unclear when the Punjab government and employee representatives will hold their next round of talks or whether either side will modify its conditions to facilitate negotiations.
