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CM working on solution to end ongoing strike, says Sengottaiyan
Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami and senior ministers on Saturday held series of meetings to discuss the ongoing strike by JACTO-GEO members. “Chief Minister Palaniswami has heard the department heads regarding the ongoing strike.
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Chennai
The state is working on addressing the demands from government officials, including the issues pertaining to old pension scheme.The striking staff should return to work,” School Education Minister KA Sengottaiyan told reporters after participating in a high-level meeting at the Chief Minister’s residence.
When asked whether there will be departmental action or arrest, Sengottaiyan evaded the question. “We are seeking solutions and hence cannot comment about the departmental action right now,” the senior Minister said.
According to a senior official, more arrests are likely on Sunday and the head count for the government staff will continue on Monday. Those who are mobilising the staff and those instigating others to join the strike are now under surveillance and will be arrested if things don’t restore by Monday.
Meanwhile, members owing allegiance to Joint Action Committee of Tamil Nadu Teachers Organisations and Government Employees Organisations (JACTO-GEO) continued their indefinite strike on Republic Day defying the government warning that “no work no pay” rule would be enforced. However, representatives of the Tamil Nadu Secretariat Association and the Tamil Nadu Government Officers’ Union are not participating in the strike.
When contacted, JACTO-GEO functionary J Ganesan said that the strike will continue. At present the police have started arresting the government employees. We want a dialogue in this regard. Based on the state action, the employees will announce their next course of action, Ganesan told DT Next.
As police intensified arrests several key members of Tamil Nadu Teachers Organisations and other department unions went into hiding.
It may be noted that Chief Secretary Girija Vaidyanathan in a letter to District Collectors on Friday said demonstration or any other form of agitation affecting the normal functioning of government offices amounted to a violation of the Tamil Nadu Government Servant Conduct Rules, 1973 and will lead to departmental action.
In case of employees’ absence, it would be considered unauthorised and they would not be entitled to pay and allowances in accordance with the principle of “no work no pay” the Chief Secretary communique read.
The government employees have been seeking the state to revert to the old pension scheme andrectification of anomalies in the Seventh Pay Commission recommendations since 2015.
Stalin flays arrests, wants CM to talk to govt staff
Condemning the state government for arresting the office-bearers of JACTO-GEO overnight in various districts, Leader of Opposition MK Stalin on Saturday urged Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami to set aside his ‘ego’ and end the impasse by holding talks with the striking government staff. Squarely blaming the Chief Minister for the ongoing JACTO-GEO strike, Stalin, in a statement, said the refusal of the CM to invite the striking staff for talks and failure to take follow up action on the committee constituted in February 2017 to set right the Seventh Pay Commission anomalies were the reasons for the strike.
He also accused the state Chief Secretary of showing interest only in sharing the dais with CM and failing in her duty to sort out the issue despite the Madras High Court advising her to consider the demands of employees and teachers in a time-bound manner. Recalling the infamous imposition of TESMA and ESMA during former chief minister J Jayalalithaa’s 2001-06 regime, Stalin cautioned that the incumbent CM should keep in mind the obliteration his party had suffered even during Jayalalithaa’s time for ridiculing government employees demands and therefore stop engaging in misadventures like intimidating the striking staff. Urging the CM to immediately release the JACTO-GEO office-bearers, Stalin said the government should unconditionally stop unleashing police on the striking government employees and invite them for talks to resolve the issue amicably.
Think about students’ future, say AMMK, PMK
Opposition parties and the striking government staff on Saturday urged the ruling AIADMK to hold talks with the employees. “The ruling party should hold talks with JACTO-Geo protesters. Arresting them will only lead to adverse situations,” AMMK leader TTV Dhinakaran said. The government staff have been taking about their demands for several months. The state has failed to address their issues. At least now the government should hold talks with them and there can be a consensus, Dhinakaran said blaming the AIADMK government for the current strike. PMK leader GK Mani in a statement said that the ongoing strike has adversely affected the common man. This is the time for the children to prepare for their board and annual exams. Teachers strike during this period will affect the education and has created apprehension among the parents.
The state should immediate talks with the government teachers and end the strike at the earliest, Mani said. Further by arresting teachers the state will create legal complications and this will delay the return of teachers to class rooms, the PMK leader added. “In Chennai and Chengalpet more than 40 teachers, including women have been arrested and produced before the magistrate on Saturday. The mental agony created for them will certainly affect their productivity,” said a government school headmaster based in Kancheepuram district. The arrested teachers were also denied food and are being badly treated by the police. This will create negativity in the minds of teachers and this could have been prevented through talks, the head master said wishing not to be quoted.
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