Employee Unions Issue Ultimatum Over 8th Pay Commission: Seven Key Demands Listed
Unions representing 48 lakh central employees and 67 lakh pensioners present a memorandum demanding higher minimum salary, increased fitment factor, pension reforms and revised allowances in the 8th Pay Commission.
Employee unions have submitted a detailed memorandum to the government demanding seven major changes in the 8th Pay Commission. The demands target minimum wages, fitment factor, annual raises, pension, and allowances.
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Union Memorandum Submitted as 2026 Begins
On 25 April 2026, several central employee unions and the Joint Consultative Machinery (JCM) handed over a memorandum to the government, outlining their expectations from the 8th Pay Commission. The document addresses the pay structure for roughly 48 lakh employees and 67 lakh pensioners.
Key Numerical Demands Compared with 7th CPC
Unions propose raising the minimum basic salary from the current ₹18,000 to a range of ₹69,000‑₹72,000. They request the fitment factor to move from 2.57 to between 3.68 and 3.83, which would more than double basic pay. Annual salary growth is to increase from 3 % to a band of 5 %‑6 %. For pensioners, the demand is to raise the payout from 50 % of final salary to 67 % and to restore the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) alongside the National Pension System (NPS). The House Rent Allowance (HRA) for X‑category cities should rise from the existing 27 %‑30 % to up to 40 %.
Detailed Points of the Memorandum
1. Fitment factor: Unions’ top request is to set the factor at 3.83, which would translate into a 2.5‑fold increase in basic pay. 
2. Minimum salary: JCM recommends a minimum of ₹69,000 based on retail prices of essential goods and the needs of a five‑member family. 
3. OPS revival: The memorandum urges the abolition of NPS and the reinstatement of OPS, arguing it is essential for social security. 
4. Allowance revision: Groups ask for a recalibration of HRA, Travel Allowance (TA) and other perks in line with current inflation, and the payment of 18 months of pending Dearness Allowance (DA) arrears. 
5. Pay matrix simplification: Unions seek consolidation of certain pay matrix levels to eliminate promotion bottlenecks and salary mismatches.
Government’s Current Stance and Timeline
The government is collecting feedback through the MyGov portal and may grant the commission up to 18 months to draft its recommendations. However, unions are pressing for the recommendations to take effect retroactively from 1 January 2026 and for arrears to be cleared without delay.
What May Follow?
If the demands are accepted, the revised pay structure could significantly boost earnings for millions of central workers and pensioners. Conversely, a prolonged negotiation could delay implementation and keep arrears pending.
