J-K government employees' strike enters fifth day - India News and Travel Times Provides India-centric and other News and Features

The work in government offices remained affected in Jammu and Kashmir, as State Government employees continued their agitation for the fifth consecutive day on Saturday. The employees took out a rally in Srinagar demanding wage arrears according to the Sixth Pay Commission's recommendations. "The strike which is being carried out is in support of Sixth Pay Commission recommendations. We want the government to implement it soon," said Showkat Ahmad, a striking employee "Even the contractual workers, ad-hoc workers, daily wageworkers and municipal committee workers aren't brought under Pay Commission umbrella. We want arrears from state government," he added. The employees have been on strike in the state since March 9. The employees are demanding raising the retirement age from the current 58 years to 60 years. The teachers also joined the employees' strike. As a result, all the schools which opened on Monday after the winter recess in the Valley remained closed for the fifth day. The State Finance Minister Abdul Rahim Rather presented the budget in the assembly on Friday and said the state government had no money to pay arrears to its employees.