8th CPC: Central govt employee body threatens with February 12 strike; here’s what it wants from 8th Pay Commission

The Confederation of Central Government Employees & Workers (CCGEW), a key body of central govt employees and pensioners, has issued a notice to the cabinet secretary, stating that they will hold a one-day strike on February 12, 2026, if their demands regarding the 8^th Pay Commission (8^th CPC) and other issues are not met.

In the letter, CCGEW Secretary General SB Yadav mentioned that employees who belong to the affiliated organisations of CCGEW will participate in the one-day strike on February 12, 2026. The employee group has given a list of demands concerning the 8^th Pay Commission and other matters, which are the basis of the planned strike.

Yadav told ET Wealth Online that the organisation is determined to proceed with the strike since its associated employee organisations have a number of 8^th Pay Commission-related demands that need to be included in the Terms of Reference (ToR).


Among its other demands, CCGEW has asked the government to provide a 20% interim relief to employees and pensioners from January 1, 2026, till the 8^th Pay Commission recommendations are implemented.

The 8^th Pay Commission formed in November 2025 has an 18-month deadline to submit its recommendations.

CCGEW’s 8th Pay Commission-related and other demands from government

• The employee body has written to the cabinet secretary to modify ToR of the 8th CPC by incorporating the suggestions/views given by the confederation and the National Council (Staff Side) of the Joint Consultative Machinery (NC-JCM) on the revision of emoluments of employees and pensioners.
• It has written to merge 50% dearness allowance (DA)/dearness relief (DR) with basic pay/pension and grant a 20% of pay/pension as interim relief with effect from January 1, 2026.
• CCGEW has demanded that the central government scrap the National Pension System (NPS) and Unified Pension Scheme (UPS) and restore Old Pension Scheme (OPS) for all central government employees.
• The employee body says there should be no distinction among pensioners on the basis of factors such as the date of retirement and the accepted recommendations of Central Pay Commissions.
• CCGEW has also requested the central government to release the three instalments (18 months) of dearness allowance (DA)/dearness relief (DR) that were frozen during the Covid-19 pandemic to employees and pensioners and restore the commuted portion of pension after 11 years instead of 15 years.
• The employees’ body wants the government to remove the 5% ceiling imposed on compassionate appointment and grant compassionate appointment in all cases to wards/dependents of deceased employees.
• The employee and worker body further requested the government to fill up vacant posts of all cadres in all departments; stop outsourcing and corporatisation in government departments.
• CCGEW asks the government to regularise casual, contingent and contractual labourers and GDS employees as well as grant equal status to employees of autonomous bodies at par with central government employees.

Some of CCGEW’s other demands from the government are-

• Scrap the four labour codes.
• No casualisation of work in any form, including outsourcing.
• Implement equal pay for equal work for contract workers.
• Ensure a minimum pension of Rs 9,000 per month and social security to all categories of workers, including unorganised and agricultural workers.
• Remove all ceilings on payment and eligibility of bonus and provident fund; increase the quantum of gratuity.
• Make the right to work a fundamental right; fill up all sanctioned posts in government departments and generate employment for the unemployed.
• Provide ESI coverage to all unorganised workers with contributions from the Welfare Fund, and extend health schemes, maternity benefits, life and disability insurance to all workers registered on the e-Shram portal.