Employees of the Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) in Jammu and Kashmir, under the Northern Zone Insurance Employees’ Association (Srinagar division), staged a one-hour walkout strike today, 21 Feb. 25. The strike was part of a nationwide protest led by the All India Insurance Employees’ Association (AIIEA).
Massive demonstrations were held outside LIC offices across Jammu and Kashmir, with Pawan Gupta, divisional secretary of the association, leading the protest at the Divisional Office (DO) Cell in Jammu.
The employees raised concerns about the increased workload amid the staff shortage. Despite these challenges, Gupta emphasised the employees’ dedication to policyholder service. He also criticised attempts to outsource Class IV jobs instead of addressing the staffing crisis through recruitment.
Gupta highlighted a significant fall in headcount over the past seven years. In March 2017, there were 57,441 employees. By December 2024, that number dropped to 42,362. He also pointed out that out of 8,000 Class III vacancies announced in 2020, over 2,700 are still vacant due to various reasons.
The strike also expressed frustration over LIC’s refusal to recognise the AIIEA, which claims more than 80 per cent membership.
Several senior association members also addressed the gathering, in support of the call for immediate action on both recruitment and recognition demands. The nationwide strike demonstrated growing discontent within LIC’s employee ranks, with further protests likely if demands remain unmet.
