8th Pay Commission: The year 2026 has begun with considerable turmoil for millions of central government employees and pensioners. The Confederation of Central Government Employees and Workers (CCGEW) has issued a direct warning to the Modi government, calling for a one-day nationwide strike on February 12, 2026.
In a strong letter to the Cabinet Secretary, the organization has made it clear that if key demands, such as improving the conditions for the formation of the 8th Pay Commission and restoring the old pension scheme (OPS), are not met, work will be halted across the country. This major news on January 30, 2026, has created a stir in government departments, as employees are now in a do-or-die battle over the 20% interim relief and 18 months’ pending DA arrears.
Major Demands Raised Regarding the 8th Pay Commission
The CCGEW’s most prominent demand concerns the 8th Pay Commission’s Terms of Reference (ToR). Employees insist that the Commission’s terms of reference prominently include the suggestions of the staff side (NC-JCM) to ensure transparent pay increases. The organization has strongly demanded that all employees and pensioners be granted 20% interim relief effective January 1, 2026, until the Pay Commission’s recommendations are fully implemented.
In addition, another major demand is that 50% of the Dearness Allowance (DA/DR) be immediately merged into the Basic Pay and pension. It is worth noting that the 8th Pay Commission was constituted in November 2025 and has been given 18 months to submit its report, but employees are unwilling to wait any longer.
Pension Issue
The pension issue is the most sensitive aspect of this strike. Employees have completely rejected the New Pension Scheme (NPS) and the recently introduced Unified Pension Scheme (UPS) by the government. The organization’s clear demand is that the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) be restored without any conditions for all central employees.
In addition, the discrimination between pensioners based on their retirement date has also been called for an end. Employees have also demanded that the recovery of commuted pension be stopped after 11 years instead of 15, so that older pensioners can have more money in their hands.
Pending DA Arrears and Other Key Demands
The issue of 18 months of DA/DR arrears withheld during the COVID-19 pandemic is also prominent on the strike agenda. Employees want the government to pay these outstanding amounts without further delay.
The charter also includes demands for increasing the minimum pension to ₹9,000 per month and repealing the four new labour codes. The organization says the government is adopting a discriminatory attitude towards workers, which will no longer be tolerated. The strike on February 12, 2026, is a result of this anger.