Back to work: FDE staff call off strike

DG assures them of promotions; five suspended employees reinstated

ISLAMABAD: Non-teaching staff of the Federal Directorate of Education (FDE) demanding promotions and protesting colleagues’ suspension called off their strike on Wednesday after a meeting with FDE director general.

They were holding a protest outside the FDE building for the last three days, halting all activities at the office. They said several employees’ promotions were years overdue.

They also protested against the suspension of five FDE officials for their involvement in reinstating 156 daily-wage employees at a time when Capital Administration and Development Division (CADD) had imposed a ban on such appointments.

Non-teaching welfare association of capital’s schools and colleges said they were representing around 2,000 daily-wage employees, 30 regular employees and five suspended employees of the directorate.

The strike was called off after CADD Additional Secretary and acting FDE Director General Qaiser Majeed assured them to address their issues. “All the demands will be addressed in consultation with all of you and without any discrimination,” he told the protesting employees.

The association’s president Sardar Siddique said they would take to the streets if the authorities did not accept their demands.

FDE spokesperson Muhammad Tahir Bhatti said the DG heard the employees and he agreed on the prime issue of promotions. He said the DG also assured them of steps for the welfare of employees.

Besides, the suspended FDE staffers have also been restored, the spokesperson added.

FDE is being run on ad-hoc basis for the last one year, while secretaries’ arrival and departures continues at CADD.

CADD additional secretary said they were looking for a district management
group (DMG) officer to head the FDE.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 20^th, 2014.