Continuing the crackdown on government teachers who are on an indefinite strike in Tamil Nadu, the Director of School Education Department has ordered the teachers to resume work by Monday. In a letter addressed to the Chief Education Officers of all the districts, the Director said that the teachers who rejoin their work by Monday shall be allowed to resume their positions as is, without any departmental action taken on them. He also mentioned the order of the Madras High Court, which directed the teachers to resume work by January 25.
“Those teachers who do not resume work by end of January 28, their positions will be considered vacant and based on that an ad-hoc vacancy list shall be prepared. Based on this list, the eligible temporary teachers will be appointed to those posts at a consolidated pay of Rs 10,000,” read the letter in Tamil.
The letter also says that those teachers who are on strike and resumes work after the designated time on Monday will be allotted any posting in the revenue district as per vacancy and will undergo departmental action.
The teachers and other members of the Joint Action Committee of Tamil Nadu Teacher’s Organisations – Government Employees Organisation (JACTTO-GEO) are on an indefinite strike since January 22, seeking the fulfilment of their demands. In their list of nine demands, the major ones include reversal of the Compensatory Pension Scheme, a pay hike for temporary teachers and settlement of arrears of the 7th Pay Commission.
On Saturday, the state government had suspended around 450 teachers who were on strike on the grounds of not attending to their students. Many teachers were also arrested for holding demonstrations across the state. The state government also rejected the demands put forward by JACTTO-GEO, citing financial crunch.
Source: The News Minute