The Punjab government has reopened dialogue with protesting employee unions, with Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann scheduled to meet representatives of various employee organisations on Friday morning, nearly three weeks after talks broke down following the cancellation of an earlier meeting.Highly placed government sources told The Tribune that if both sides reach a compromise on the employees’ demands, which carry significant financial implications for the cash-strapped state, employees could receive some additional fiscal benefits as part of their October salary.The government conveyed the meeting decision to unions on Wednesday, following which the Joint Action Committee (JAC) of employee organisations postponed a press conference scheduled for Thursday to announce its next course of action.The Chief Minister’s Office has asked unions to submit the names of leaders who will attend the meeting. JAC leaders also met on Wednesday evening to finalise the issues to be raised before Mann. Late at night, a 12 member delegation of employees was finalised to hold talks with the CM Mann- led delegation.The release of long-pending Dearness Allowance (DA) dues is expected to top the agenda. Unions are seeking payment of 18 per cent DA arrears, implementation of the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) and resolution of several long-standing service-related issues. More than 100 employee and pensioner organisations have participated in the agitation.Unions are also likely to seek withdrawal of the July 17, 2020 order, under which employees recruited thereafter were placed on lower Central pay scales instead of Punjab pay scales. They are expected to demand restoration of a uniform pay structure.Another demand concerns withdrawal of the January 15, 2015 order, under which employees were paid only basic pay during probation, a period later extended to three years. Restoration of the Assured Career Progression (ACP) scheme and other service-related benefits are also expected to figure in the talks.The meeting assumes significance as employees have been protesting for over a month. Relations deteriorated after Mann cancelled an August 27 meeting with a 16-member JAC delegation on the day employees observed a statewide “Maha Hartal”.Nearly four lakh employees participated in the August 27 mass casual leave, while around 3.5 lakh pensioners supported the agitation. The government later directed departments to issue show-cause notices, but withdrew punitive action following protests.While unions say repeated assurances have not produced a settlement, the government has maintained that its financial position limits its ability to meet all demands immediately. Finance Minister Harpal Cheema has said dues can be cleared in a staggered manner.