Two major unions of the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation have launched an agitation against the management’s decision to implement cadre restructuring inimical to the Group B and C cadre officials. The EPF Staff Association and the EPF Employees’ Union, representing a large section of employees, held lunch-hour demonstrations on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday in front of the EPFO office here as part of the nation-wide agitation. It will be followed by a black-flag protest on April 17 and a token strike on May 23.
The two unions allege that the EPF management, as part of cadre restructuring, created excess posts in Group A officers cadre, leading to a drastic reduction of staff strength in the Group B & C cadres. In a joint statement here, they said the creation of excess vacancies in Group A officers cadre will result in huge outflow of public money by way of higher pay and perquisites. Cutting down on staff strength in Group B & C posts has resulted in unnecessary delay in settlement of provident fund claims, particularly those belonging to the workmen category, it added.