If you are planning to get some work done at government offices in Punjab, it is best not to go. No official work will be conducted in these offices for the next three days. The clerical staff is on a three-day strike and has decided not to perform any duties.
The Punjab State Ministerial Services Union has decided to launch a “pen-down and computer shutdown” strike across the state for two days, followed by a march to Chandigarh on the third day while taking mass leave. The union has made it clear that the strike could be extended if their demands are not met.
Union leaders have instructed staff across all departments not to perform any office-related tasks. Union teams will conduct surprise inspections, and any employee caught working will face a boycott by the union.
Due to the ministerial staff strike, public-facing work will come to a standstill; this is because the records and data required by officers are maintained by the clerical staff, who also handle the movement of files.
Over 100,000 employees across Punjab on strike
The Punjab State Ministerial Services Union (PSMSU) has long been negotiating with the government regarding its demands. Although the union has gone on strike several times in the past, the government has not acceded to their requests. Starting today, over 100,000 government employees across Punjab will halt operations completely by keeping their offices closed. Administrative tasks and public services in government offices will be severely disrupted due to the strike. Union President Vicky Juneja stated clearly that the agitation will continue until the government accepts their legitimate demands.
Work to continue at ‘Seva Kendras’
There will be no strike at the ‘Seva Kendras’ (citizen service centers). Their counters will remain open, and they will continue to accept applications from the public. However, a crucial point to note is that the verification of the applications received at these centers still requires the clerical staff from various departments to process them. If the staff does not carry out verification, the backlog at the service centers will also increase.