8th Pay Commission: Confederation Plans Protests To Press For 50% DA-Basic Pay Merger, 20% Interim Relief

The Confederation of Central Government Employees and Workers has planned a countrywide campaign to press for an array of demands, including the modification of Terms of Reference (ToR) for the 8th Pay Commission, and the merger of 50% dearness allowance with the basic pay at the earliest.

The Confederation is also seeking a grant of 20% pay as "Interim Relief", with effect from Jan. 1, 2026, to supplement the monthly salaries of employees amid the delayed rollout of 8th Pay Commission. Similarly, it has demanded a 20% Interim Relief for pensioners.

In a letter dated Nov. 24, the top employee forum asked all its office-bearers to plan "lunch hours demonstration" at work places and offices on Dec. 16.

"An intensive countrywide campaign to be carried out to popularize charter of Demands and strengthen the organisations, prepare the rank and file for struggles. National Secretariat members will tour the states as per the annexed program, campaigning is to be completed by 15th December 2025," it further stated.

The Confederation, in its letter, reiterated its charter of demands, with the revision of ToR to assuage the concerns of pensioners topping the list.

The same demand was also raised by the staff side of National Council-Joint Consultative Machinery last week, which will be at the forefront of the 8th Pay Commission-related negotiations with the Centre.

The concerns over pensioners being allegedly excluded from 8th Pay Commission's purview stems from difference in the ToR text, as compared to the ToR issued in 2014 following the approval granted for the 7th Pay Commission.

Back then, the terms explicitly mentioned that the panel will look into the pension structure of employees who have already retired.

Here's what the ToR for 7th Pay Commission stated: "To exаmine the principles which should govern the structure of pension and other retirement benefits, including revision of pension in the case of employees who have retired prior to the date of effect of these recommendations, keeping in view that retirement benefits of all Central Government Employees appointed on and after 01.01.2004 are covered by the New Pension Scheme (NPS)."

This portion, however, is missing from the ToR for the 8th Pay Commission, which was notified by the Department of Expenditure on Nov. 3.

The Confederation, in its charter of demands raised before the Centre, has also called for the scrapping of National Pension System (NPS) and Unified Pension System (UPS), and the restoration of Old Pension Scheme (OPS).

"No distinctions amongst Pensioners should be made, potentially on the basis of factors like Ddate of retirement and accepted recommendations of central pay commission," it added.

The employee forum has also demanded the release of "three installments (18 months) of DA/DAR frozen during Covid-19 pandemic to employees and pensioners", along with restoration of commuted part of pension after 11 years instead of 15 years.

Furthermore, the Confederation called for the removal of "5% ceiling imposed" on compassionate appointment, and "grant compassionate appointment in all cases to wards/dependents of deceased employee".

The forum has also demanded the filling up of "vacant posts of all cadre in all the departments", and to "stop outsourcing and corporatisation in government departments".

The Confederation has also asked for the regularisation of "casual contingent, contractual labours and GDS employees, grant equal status to employees of autonomous bodies to that of CG employees."

The demands have been renewed weeks after the Cabinet issued its nod for the formation of 8th Pay Commission. The panel has been given an 18-month timeline to submit its report that will entail the fitment factor and other modalities for salary revision.