Nagaland: CANSSEA to join national strike in defense of employees’ rights

The Confederation of All Nagaland State Services Employee’s Association (CANSSEA) has announced its support for the nationwide general strike scheduled on May 20, 2025, following key resolutions adopted at the National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the All India State Government Employee’s Federation (AISGEF).

A three-member delegation from CANSSEA—Zubemo Lotha Tsanglao (President), Yhunsenio Kent (General Secretary), and Siewatho S. Nyusou (Press Secretary)—attended the NEC meeting held from April 26 to 28 at Udaipur, Rajasthan. The meeting, hosted by the All Rajasthan State Government Employee’s Federation, saw “active deliberation and unanimous adoptions of key resolutions concerning the rights and welfare of government employees across the country,” CANSSEA stated in a release.

AISGEF President Subhash Lamba, addressing the gathering, stated that the national strike has become necessary “in response to the growing discontent amongst state government employees and in the interest of safeguarding their long-term service security and social protection.” He said, “We are left with no choice but to take to the streets to protect the future of millions of employees who serve the nation diligently.”

The strike, slated for May 20, will be observed in support of eleven core demands, which include:

Repeal of all four labour codes;

Repeal of the PFRDA Act, scrapping of NPS/UPS, and directing fund managers to return deposited amounts to state governments. AISGEF demands bringing all subscribers under EPS-95 into a defined benefit pension system;

Regularisation of all contractual employees. The Federation calls for an end to contractual, outsourced, and daily-wage employment and urges the filling of all vacancies in State Government departments and PSUs on a regular basis;

Stopping privatisation and corporatisation of PSUs and downsizing of government departments;

Constitution of State Pay Commissions and ensuring the benefits of the Eighth Central Pay Commission. It also calls for periodic pay revision every five years;

Release of pending DA instalments and confiscated arrears;

Implementation of a comprehensive health insurance scheme. The scheme should ensure cashless treatment for pensioners, employees, and contractual staff;

Abandonment of the National Education Policy (NEP);

Repeal of Articles 310 and 311(2)(a, b & c) of the Constitution;

Upholding of constitutional secularism and fighting all forms of communalism;
Redefinition of Centre-State financial relations and safeguarding cooperative federalism.
In a strong call to action, AISGEF urged “all state federations, employee unions and stakeholders to unite in solidarity and participate in the May 20 General Strike and to assert their rights and press for a just and fair treatment.”
As a federating unit of AISGEF, CANSSEA has appealed “to all its members to come together and participate to make the general strike a success.” The association further directed all affiliated state federations and associations “to spread awareness of the above issues and demands and await the plan of actions and directives from the central before May 20, 2025.”

MT