Secondary-grade teachers withdraw protest

CHENNAI: After Chief Minister MK Stalin directed a committee to be formed to consider the demands of secondary-grade teachers (SGTs), hundreds of teachers withdrew their indefinite protest in Chennai on Sunday evening. The teachers assured that they will resume work as the schools are set to reopen on Monday.

On Sunday, CM in a statement confirmed that a committee will be set up under the finance secretary, expenditure, principal secretary of school education and director of elementary education to assess the demands of teachers who are protesting and make appropriate recommendations.

The government has decided to consider the recommendations of this committee and take action on this demand.

J Robert, general secretary of Secondary Grade Seniority Teacher's Association (SSTA) said, "We wanted the intervention of CM in the issue and we are glad he made a statement. Hence owing to this and as a respect to his action, we have decided to withdraw the protest effective January 1."

"We have been assured that soon a circular regarding salary revision will be released, " added Robert.

The members of SSTA have been on a hunger strike since December 27. During the six-day fasting, several teachers reported health issues and were taken to hospital.

Despite this, the teachers protested and met the principal secretary to government Kakarla Usha on December 29. The teachers there, did not budge to the incentive proposal presented by the official and insisted the government to fulfil their demands of equal pay instead.

SGTs allege that teachers appointed after June 2009 are facing a pay discrepancy of Rs 3,170 for the same amount of work than those appointed before 2009. Further, in the seventh pay commission, this discrepancy had further widened.

Subsequently, Tamil Nadu Post Graduate Teachers Association (TNPGTA) urged for the Commissioner of School Education to be added in the committee and address the salary discrepancy of post-graduate teachers employed after 2009.