It appears the government employees in Andhra Pradesh are vertically split over bringing pressure on the Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy government over implementation of the Pay Revision Commission recommendations.
While the employees’ unions have served an ultimatum to the government report to disclose the PRC report immediately, the Secretariat Employees’ Association leaders have announced that they would not raise any demands till the government presents the report.
The Secretariat employees’ association, believed to be closer to the ruling YSR Congress party, is not happy with the pressure tactics of the Joint Action Committee of the state government employees. Apparently, the chief minister is angry with the JAC for not understanding the compulsions of the government.
The JAC leaders, who set the deadline of Wednesday for the PRC report, had waited for the chief secretary to have a meeting with Jagan. But they had to return late in the night empty handed as there was no response from the government.
The Secretariat employees’ union said the PRC issue would be settled at the joint staff council meeting of the employees to be held on Friday.
The government is expected to brief the union leaders about the PRC recommendations and discuss the issues of fitment, DA arrears and contributory pension scheme.
The employees are demanding that the government should give at least 40 per cent hike in salaries, whereas the government is unlikely to give more than 27 per cent.
The Secretariat employees are said to be bargaining for a mid-way solution so that there is no confrontation with the government.
Former chief secretary I Y R Krishna Rao said the present government clearly lacked a strategy adopted by Jagan’s father late Y S Rajasekhar Reddy, when he was the chief minister in the combined regime.
“I used to participate in the discussions with the employees’ unions on behalf of the finance department. YSR used to take the decision on PRC in a matter of two days,” he said.
He recalled that YSR used to come to a decision after discussing with then finance minister K Rosaiah. He used to offer less percentage of salary hike than what was demanded by the unions.
“The next day, he used to offer more than what they were asking, thereby winning their loyalty,” Krishna Rao said.