Unmet demand for equal pay: Secondary grade teachers to protest on Sept 29

CHENNAI: Demanding that the State government address the pay disparity that has gone on for several years, members of Secondary Grade Seniority Teachers’ Association (SSTA) announced a protest at the DPI campus here on September 29.

The Secondary-Grade Teachers (SGTs) have been demanding ‘equal pay for equal work’ for close to 20 years, from both the DMK and AIADMK governments, when they came to power.

“However, our demands are kept pending by the education minister and higher officials,” allege SSTA members. “The DMK, during the election campaign in 2021, had promised to fulfil the demand and also mentioned it in its manifesto (number 311). But, despite frequent protests and requests, the government has ignored us.”

For over 14 years, nearly 20,000 SGTs have been requesting both the AIADMK and DMK governments to address the pay disparity faced by teachers appointed after June 2009. They are being paid Rs 3,170 for the same amount of work as those appointed on or before May 31, 2009.

The teachers also claim that in December 2022, they were severely affected by the Seventh Pay Commission, as the pay gap had further widened. “Despite several years and multiple committees formed by the government, our demands have not been met. While the government allotted a large budget for school education, our demands are constantly overlooked,” said a senior faculty member protesting in the city.

Furthermore, the SSTA members point out that the Supreme Court’s verdict on various cases directs that people holding the same position and doing the same job should be given equal pay for equal work. “But, this was neither followed by the previous AIADMK government nor at present by the DMK government,” the members allege.