The state government recently announced a 17% hike in the basic salary of government employees after they went on strike. Karnataka State Government Employees Association president CS Shadakshari, who spearheaded the protest, said state government employees in Karnataka are getting lesser salary compared to their counterparts in other states and the Central government.
During an interaction with TNSE editors and reporters, Shadakshari said there is a severe shortage of staff as vacancies have not been filled, and it is affecting the health of workers.
Excerpts.
What was the need to protest and bring the government to a standstill?
We are getting a lesser salary compared to employees in other states and the Central government. We approached the state government, but they ignored our pleas. With no other option, we had to protest.
The employees were happy after the government announced a 17% hike on their basic salaries, though we expected 25 per cent. We called off the strike as SSLC and PUC examinations would have been affected and medical services would have been hit if we had continued. We agreed for the negotiation as we too have families and their interests too are important.
Was the government not aware of the protest plan?
The government got to know only on February 28, that too after getting an intelligence report. Even the chief minister was out of station for two days. He reached Bengaluru on February 28 and the first meeting he held was ours at 9.30 pm. He was positive.
He said if the government and government employees clash, public services including healthcare would get disrupted and revenue collection would be hit, and it had to be sorted out amicably. After that meeting, we started another round of meetings with our office-bearers. The next day (March 1), at 11.30 am, a government order was issued with a 17% interim hike.
What is the vacancy in state government posts? What is the difference in salary compared to other states and central governments?
There is a staff shortage of 39% in the Karnataka government sector, which works out to around 2.55 lakh posts. Employees in Karnataka get the lowest salary compared to other states across the country. Our salaries are 14% lesser than Union government employees, while Kerala government employees get higher salaries than central government employees. Our demand is to reduce this difference.
Why is the association demanding a five-day work week?
We have been telling the state government to make us work one hour extra every day and give us offs on Saturdays and Sundays, like with the Central government. There are many advantages -- it will reduce traffic on weekends, reduce fuel on government cars, reduce power usage for one day and more. This will also save revenue.
Why the demand for the Old Pension scheme?
The Central government implemented the Contributory Pension Scheme, where employees and employers contribute towards pension. The deposited funds will be invested in the share market and the profit from shares will be paid as pension.
That was when the Centre decided not to pay pensions. Many states adopted it too and Karnataka did it in 2006. With this, people who joined work before 2006 get the old pension, while those who joined after 2006 would get the pension under the new scheme. There is a huge gap between pension benefits of those who joined before and after 2006.
That’s when the association started raising its voice. Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and Rajasthan have rolled back the new scheme. We are also demanding it, but the government did not listen. Only after we staged a protest, they have now constituted a committee, which will submit a report within two months. We are also sending our team to check. Our stand is that NPS should be rolled back to OPS.
Your views on the CM’s announcement on filling up one lakh vacancies in one year?
Shortage of staff and resulting work pressure are affecting the health of workers. For instance, a panchayat development officer is looking after three gram panchayats. With the staff shortage, it is difficult to provide all services effectively and they are not machines. The scenario is the same in the revenue department and it is leading to health problems like blood pressure and diabetes.
The government is trying to manage with the existing staff, but we are requesting it to appoint the field staff. The recruitment process has started. There are hurdles for the government, including expenditure and cases in courts.
We also appeal to the courts to dispose of these cases at the earliest. Amid this, the CM has announced that a comprehensive medical scheme for all government employees and their family members will be implemented in the next few days. It has come as a relief as it will cover all diseases. The treatment can be availed at any hospital in the state without paying a rupee.
There are complaints that staff is not available during working hours and files are kept pending …
Several services have been brought under the ‘Sakala’ system and there is no scope for the delay as employees responsible for the delay will have to cough up a penalty. There is also pressure from senior officers to clear files. As most of the services are online, government employees continue to work from home even after office hours. The number of pending files is available at your fingertips today and there is no question of pendency. Even students question teachers if portions are not completed. Also, communication is so fast that people directly contact senior officers or elected representatives through phone or social media. The mindset of government employees is tuned to clear the files sooner instead of getting pulled up by senior officers. If you observe, many working at Vidhana Soudha carry a bag while leaving the office. There will be no cash in it (chuckles) but files. After going home, they spend one to two hours on them. Also, many work till 8.30-9 pm every day at Vidhana Soudha. Pressure is so high nowadays.
There is the allegation of rampant corruption in government offices. What are your plans to change this image?
I wouldn’t say there is no corruption at all. Corruption is omnipresent. But it is not correct to blame the entire fraternity for the mistakes of a few. The recent allegation of ‘40 per cent commission’ is politicised and I would like to clarify that government employees have no role in it. I would like to ask the public why you pay the bribe. There are so many facilities like Sakala, RTI and others and they should make use of them. If your work is not done, approach senior officers, elected representatives or ministers. You can also file a complaint with the Lokayukta.
We are also creating awareness among government employees. I have conducted over a thousand meetings and have educated employees that we government workers have respect in society and guaranteed salary and we must work honestly.
They are also told about the consequences of getting caught in corruption cases, the humiliation their family members will have to face and they may lose their job and retirement benefits. I have also contacted Lokayukta Justice BS Patil to take part in our meetings and educate government employees.
There will be periodic training in private companies to update the skills of employees. Don’t you think it is required for the government staff?
As there is a 39 per cent vacancy, whoever gets an appointment order will be put on the job from the very first day. There is no training at all except for the police department. There is a rule that recruits must be given two months of foundation training, but it is not happening. There are District Training Institutes, but no principals and lectures. We have requested the government to upgrade them on the lines of the Administrative Training Institute in Mysuru and give two months of residential training for all recruits. I hope that the government will soon decide on this.
The government is outsourcing certain works. Is this not leading to corruption?
The government has outsourced some jobs such as drivers, data entry operators and Group D workers as outsourcing is economically viable. Unfortunately, the companies that are awarded tender and supply manpower are exploiting the workers by not paying them benefits like ESI, EPF and accident relief. Though there is a clear order from the Supreme Court that every 11 months, the contract should be renewed and there is no scope for regularising contract workers, some companies are promising workers that they would get a permanent job with the government and are extorting money from them.
It appears that there is a conflict between your association and the Karnataka Government Secretariat Employees’ Association which demanded a 40% hike?
In fact, our demand was also a 40% increase, but Pay Commission officials said it will take at least 45 days to submit the interim report. As the election model code of conduct would come into effect in another 30 days, the government would not be in a position to do anything and the entire process would be delayed. We decided to settle for interim relief. We demanded a minimum of 25% hike, while the finance secretary said the government can’t give beyond 7%. There were several rounds of discussion and the CM agreed to 15% and we demanded 20%. Respecting the CM’s word, we settled for 17%. We have 200 affiliated associations and it was a unanimous decision. Even the Secretariat Employees’ Association agreed to it. Also, the current president (P Gurumurthy) of that association is not elected and is in charge of the association as elections have not been held for the last six years.
Why did you time the strike in 2023 when the pay commission should have been set up in 2022 itself?
We held meetings with the chief minister then and he had promised to constitute the commission and we believed it would happen as B S Yediyurappa used to respond to our appeals without us struggling to get it done. Bommai too had promised us just fifteen days before the budget, but to our shock it was not mentioned in the budget that forced us to go on the strike. Yediyurappa has also asked Bommai to help us. Now, pay commission has been set up from July 2022.
Even during Covid, government employees got their salaries. Should they not be thankful?
You are right, but Covid hit in 2021. In 2022, the government should have set up a commission. In 2021, we should have started protesting, but due to Covid we did not. Only after the state’s financial situation improved did we launch the struggle.
Your views on IAS and IPS officers sparring in the open?
That is condemnable. It is not a good message to society. Family issues coming to public and its glorification in the media is not good. It has not at all had an impact on our employees as they know the background of the top brass.
The image of government offices has not changed as the behaviour of staff has remained the same. What steps are you going to take to change this?
There is a government order that in any public office, the public should be treated with respect. We suggested setting up grievances centres, but 39 per cent of the vacancies remained unfilled. When it comes to employees, they are also human and not machines. Their work has become hectic as they have to attend the officers’ meetings and the courts as there are 10,000 cases pending before them, including at KAT.
The applications with regard to Right to Information also have to be addressed. Some RTI activists have turned into a menace as they have made it a profession to seek information with 100 applications. These are our administrative problems.
But we are for the reforms and the legislature should take a decision. For efficient employees, incentives should be given. But we cannot implement it like in the private sector as there are many hurdles. But if the government shows its will, we are ready to work on par with corporate sector employees. We will educate our employees.
Some activists forced their way into government offices...
Let them go to offices. They have the liberty, but shooting videos of employees, especially women and going live on social media is not acceptable. When they did it, it created a controversy and we sought a government order. Shooting a video is irritating for the women as it is an infringement of their privacy as they have private lives like any other individual.
There is an allegation that you have Lokayukta cases against you and that is the reason you are soft on the government?
If proven, I will not only quit from my president’s post, but also resign from my job. There were ten cases filed against me before ACB and Lokayukta in the last 12 years but all the files were closed without even the issue of summons as there was no evidence against me. I don’t have a car, bungalow or site in my name. Since I joined as an employee in 1999, I have been honest. The bungalow I was given belongs to the government.
What steps have you taken to solve the women employees’ problems?
Women consultation Centres have been suggested and we have also sought the pay commission to recommend to the government for more facilities for women and their safety. Dropping those who work overtime has also been suggested.
Any chances of you joining politics?
I am not interested at all. For MLAs their jurisdiction is just 5 km and for me it’s 1,000 km as the state employees’ president. I have a lot of space to work.