Nagaland Government Employees to Begin Pen-Down Strike from October 14

The government departments across Nagaland are set to observe a pen-down strike starting October 14, coordinated by multiple service associations under the Joint Coordination Committee. This strike has been organized to address various grievances and demands of the government employees, with a focus on ensuring that the protest remains orderly and does not disrupt essential services. The Joint Coordination Committee, serving as the coordinating authority for this action, issued formal guidelines on October 9 to manage the strike effectively and minimize disruption to public services. These guidelines provide a framework for how departments, associations, and employees should approach the strike, emphasizing the importance of maintaining public service operations while carrying out the protest.

A critical aspect of the strike is that emergency and healthcare services will continue to function without interruption. The government has made clear that specific essential services, including power supply maintenance, water distribution, road repairs, sanitation services, and medical personnel, will not be affected by the work stoppage. Additionally, law enforcement agencies are required to remain fully operational to ensure public safety and maintain law and order during the strike period. By safeguarding these essential services, the authorities aim to prevent undue inconvenience to the public while respecting the employees’ right to protest.

All service associations officially affiliated with the Joint Coordination Committee have been instructed to ensure that the strike proceeds peacefully. Employees must be made aware of which activities constitute essential services and are therefore exempt from participation. The Nagaland School Teachers Association, a body affiliated with the coordination committee, has already complied with the directives and issued formal validation confirming its participation in the strike. This sets an example for other affiliated associations to follow, ensuring that the protest maintains cohesion and discipline.

On October 10, the Coordination Committee further clarified that all affiliated service associations are required to adhere to the strike directives. The committee acknowledged that some non-governmental agencies, not officially connected to the strike, have issued opposing instructions, causing confusion among employees. However, the committee emphasized that compliance with the strike action is mandatory only for organizations formally affiliated with the coordinating body. Non-affiliated groups’ instructions do not hold authority over the coordinated protest and should not influence participation.

Government employees have also been directed to observe strict attendance protocols at their respective workplaces, documenting who participates in the strike. Department heads have been tasked with ensuring proper documentation of employee participation, enabling the committee to maintain accountability and transparency. Associations representing government workers carry the responsibility of clearly communicating the guidelines to prevent inconvenience to the public and ensure that essential services continue uninterrupted.

Finally, the committee stated that individual departments or associations may identify additional services that need to be exempted from the strike based on their operational requirements. This flexibility ensures that any critical or location-specific services, which might not have been included in the standard list, continue to function. By combining a coordinated protest with strict adherence to operational safeguards, the Joint Coordination Committee aims to balance employees’ rights to demonstrate with the government’s responsibility to maintain essential services, ensuring minimal disruption to the public while upholding the integrity of the strike.