Maharashtra staff unions serve strike notice for April 21 over pension, recruitment issues

State-run schools and government offices in Maharashtra face a potential shutdown from April 21, with 1.7 million employees and teachers deciding to go on an indefinite strike.

The decision, announced on March 7 by the Coordination Committee of Government, Semi-Government, Teaching, and Non-Teaching Employees, follows months of unresolved grievances ranging from pension rules to chronic staff shortages.

“We have held seven meetings so far. We have been trying to draw the government’s attention towards the issue. But it hasn’t acted on the promises it had earlier given to us,” Vishwas Katkar, Coordination Committee of State Government Employees’ Central Union, said.

“The protestors will include 5.5 lakh Class III, Class IV State government employees (like employees of state secretariat, sales tax department, etc), 7 lakh teachers and non-teaching staff of zilla parishad and nagar parishad schools, 3.5 lakh Zilla Parishad Class III and Class IV employees (they enjoy semi-governmentt status), and Nagar Parishad employees,” he added.

Employee unions have formally informed the State government of their decision to proceed with the agitation. Convenor Mr. Katkar stated that despite previous assurances following meetings with the previous administration, several core demands remain unaddressed.

While the government approved a revised pension scheme aligning with the Centre’s model in March 2024, employees point to the lack of an official notification detailing procedures and conditions. Unions claim this has left individuals who retired after that date without provisional pension benefits.

A memorandum submitted by the coordination committee lists multiple pending issues. It notes that the filling of vacant posts continues at a slow pace, putting a workload on existing staff. The committee has called for the regularization of contractual workers, some of whom have been employed against sanctioned posts for up to ten years. It also demands that candidates on waiting lists be considered for appointment on compassionate grounds as a one-time measure, citing age-limit restrictions that render many applicants ineligible.

Further demands include raising the retirement age to 60 years—a norm in 26 other states—and the implementation of the ’10:20:30’ assured career progression scheme for teaching and non-teaching staff. Teachers from partially aided schools appointed before November 1, 2005, are seeking coverage under the Old Pension Scheme.

The unions have also criticized the moratorium on recruitment for Class IV employees and drivers, calling the policy impractical and urging its reconsideration. They have proposed the establishment of a periodic dialogue forum at the Chief Minister’s level to address sector-specific concerns.

Mr. Katkar said the decision to strike was taken by the state executive after observing a lack of response from the government on long-pending matters. The proposed action, scheduled to begin on April 21, is expected to draw participation from employees across government departments, semi-government institutions, municipal councils, and the health and education sectors.