Centre of Indian Trade Union (CITU) condemns the authoritarian move of Maharashtra Government to invoke the draconian Maharashtra Essential Service Maintenance Act (MESMA) to threaten and repress the striking State Government Employees and Teachers, who are in strike from 14th March 2023 midnight.

The Strike was called upon by the Maharashtra Samanvay Samiti – the Coordination Committee of State Govt. & Semi-Govt. Employees, Teachers and non-Teaching employees’ Organisations, having strong 17 Lakhs members spread over all the districts of Maharashtra. The Samanvay Samiti submitted the Strike Notice on 24th February 2023 with a Charter demanding the Restoration of the Old Pension Scheme, Regularisation of the Contractual/ Outsourced Employees & Teachers and Filling-up of the 2.75 lakhs vacant posts in State Services.

But the BJP Alliance Maharashtra Govt. didn’t pay any heed to the agitating State Government Employees. Just the day before the Strike, on 13th March, 2023 a meeting was called within a very short Notice by the Chief Secretary of the Maharashtra Govt. This meeting was attended by the Steering Committee of the Samanvay Samiti. There was no fruitful proposal from Govt. side. Immediately after the obvious failure of the meeting the Chief Minister Shri Eknath Shinde and the Dy CM Shri Devendra Phadnavis suddenly called the Samanvay Samiti leadership and asked to withdraw Strike without any commitment from Govt’s part. There was no option left for the Striking employees except going for indefinite Strike.

The Strike is total by the employees and teachers enmasse despite threat and intimidation by the state administration. The BJP alliance Govt, true to its anti-people authoritarian undemocratic character has now decided to pounce upon the striking employees and their leaders through invoking MESMA. Defying all such draconian orders the Maharashtra state employees are continuing their strike more unitedly.

CITU wants to assure the Striking Employees that the strike of electricity workers has compelled the Maharashtra State Govt. to stall the intrusion of Adani in Maharashtra Electricity Distribution Sector in the month of January of this year; the Kisan Long March kneeled down the Govt just 2 days back. CITU believes that the valiant Striking State Government Employees will emerge victorious in their rightful struggle. CITU calls upon the working class and its affiliate unions in particular to organize protest actions throughout the country in solidarity with the striking State Govt. Employees of Maharashtra.

Issued by
Tapan Sen
General Secretary