Haryana Implements 'No Work, No Pay' Rule on Contractual Employees for July-August Strike

Haryana Government has taken a firm stance against the contractual employees who participated in the strike in July-August 2024. The government implemented "no work, no pay" rule on the employees who participated in the strike from July 20 to August 3 demanding permanent positions.

An official order from the Human Resources Department, issued with the Chief Secretary's authority, makes it clear that striking employees won't receive any pay for the days they were absent from work. The government has, however, shown some leniency by deciding not to create any breaks in their service records – a move that protects their continuity of employment despite the protest. 

This strike had seen thousands of contractual workers across Haryana walking off their jobs to push for job security through regularization. Their broader campaign had previously yielded significant results when the state assembly passed the Haryana Contractual Employees (Security of Service) Bill in late 2024. This legislation provided substantial protection for staff engaged on contract, ad hoc, or outsourced basis through the Haryana Kaushal Rozgar Nigam by allowing them to continue working until their retirement age. 

The government's latest decision has drawn sharp criticism from employee representatives. Subhash Lamba, who heads the All-India State Government Employees Federation, called the move "unfortunate" and argued it would inflict major financial hardship on workers who are already low-paid. 

"The state government itself bears responsibility for the strike since employees only took this action after properly notifying authorities," Lamba stated. He has called for officials to reconsider, suggesting the strike period should instead be classified as "leave of kind due" as a goodwill gesture toward the workforce.