Chennai, Feb 24 (NationPress) Tamil Nadu government employees, including members of the Joint Action Council of Tamil Nadu Teachers Organisation and Government Employees Organisation (JACTO-GEO), have issued a deadline to the state government until 8 PM on Monday to address their demands.

The employees have threatened to initiate a strike starting Tuesday, establishing this deadline after submitting a ten-point charter of demands to a four-member ministerial committee.

After discussions at the state secretariat, representatives from JACTO-GEO reiterated their demands, primarily focusing on the reinstatement of the Old Pension Scheme and the option for government employees to surrender their earned leave.

The ministerial committee, which includes senior ministers E. V. Velu and Thangam Thennarasu, assured employee representatives that they would confer with Chief Minister M. K. Stalin and relay the government’s decision.

When inquired about considering the Unified Pension Scheme as an alternative, the representatives firmly declined, stating, “We do not endorse the Unified Pension Scheme. Our demand is the complete revival of the Old Pension Scheme.” Amitthakumar, General Secretary of the Tamil Nadu Officers Union, mentioned that employees had conducted token strikes twice last year but resumed work based on government assurances.

“The ministers have committed to consult the Chief Minister and inform us of the decision. Depending on the government's response, we will convene and determine our next steps,” he stated.

However, there is doubt regarding whether the government will issue any formal statements, especially since the Assembly session is already scheduled, with the state budget for the 2025-26 financial year set to be unveiled on March 14.

Tamil Nadu Secretariat Association President G. Venkatesan appreciated the government’s willingness to engage in discussions but stressed that employees' future actions would depend on the outcomes of these discussions.

Meanwhile, Frederic Engels, state coordinator of the Contributory Pension Scheme Abolition Movement, expressed skepticism about the government’s intentions, labeling the formation of committees as a “delaying tactic” to stifle protests.

“Rather than fulfilling its election promises, the DMK government continues to establish committees. A similar meeting with three ministers a few months ago only resulted in a temporary halt to protests, with no substantial progress since,” Engels remarked.

The Tamil Nadu government had previously announced the creation of a committee to evaluate the Old Pension Scheme, the Contributory Pension Scheme, and the Unified Pension Scheme (introduced by the Union government) to ascertain the most appropriate pension system for the state. Nonetheless, employees remain doubtful about whether this will lead to tangible results.