CHENNAI: Left parties have called on the state government to convene talks with protesting secondary grade teachers and resolve their demand for equal pay.
In a statement, CPM state secretary P Shanmugam said on Monday that a section of teachers has been on strike for the fourth consecutive day, insisting on “equal pay for equal work”. The dispute stems from a pay disparity between teachers appointed before May 31, 2009, and those recruited since June 1, 2009.
Teachers appointed after the cut-off date receive a basic pay that is Rs 3,170 lower despite having the same qualification and workload. “This inequality has continued for 16 years, causing heavy financial loss to thousands,” Shanmugam said.
“This inequality has continued for 16 years, causing heavy financial loss to thousands,”CPM state secretary P Shanmugam
CPI state secretary M Veerapandian said that the disparity has affected around 20,000 teachers, prompting a statewide protest for the past four days. He called on the government to withdraw cases filed against 1,400 protesting teachers and ensure a fair resolution.
Meanwhile, Veerapandian also raised concern over thousands of persons with disabilities working in government departments on temporary terms, including consolidated pay, honorarium and daily wage arrangements, without job security, benefits or equal pay.
Referring to Government Order no 151, he said disabled personnel who have completed more than two years in service should be regularised without conditions. The Tamil Nadu All Department Disabled Employees Federation, along with their families, began an indefinite sit-in protest on December 29 at the office of the Commissionerate for the Welfare of the Differently Abled in Chennai.
He urged the government to hold talks and fulfil their demands at the earliest, stating that both teachers and disabled employees have been waiting for justice for several years.