Chennai: More than 60 per cent of teachers, govt staff stay away from work

Chennai: The strike called by Joint Action Council of Tamil Nadu Teachers Organisations and Government Employees Organisations (Jactto-Geo) has affected the functioning of schools and government offices across the state on Tuesday as more than 60 per cent of teachers and government employees stayed away from the work on Day 1.

Pressing for nine charter of demands including the continuation of the old pension scheme for all employees and revising the pay structure on par with the central government teachers, Jactto-Geo has called for an indefinite strike from Tuesday.

Despite the warning from the state government that disciplinary action would be taken against employees if they were absent from work, the response for the strike was overwhelming, teacher associations claimed.

“More than 80 per cent of teachers in elementary schools and 60 per cent teachers in government high and higher secondary schools took part in the strike. It has affected the functioning of the schools,” said K. Thiyagarajan, spokesperson for Jactto-Geo.

The government staff and employees held a protest at taluk headquarters across Tamil Nadu. In Chennai, they gathered on Ezhilagam campus and raised slogans urging the government to fulfil their demands.

“Except for three associations, 220 teachers and government employees associations took part in the strike. Most of the government offices functioned with just 50 per cent staff strength on Tuesday,” said Mayavan, one of the co-ordinators of Jactto-Geo .

Jactto-Geo is a 11-lakh member strong confederation.

On Tuesday, school education minister K.A. Sengottaiyan appealed to the teacher associations to withdraw the strike considering the interests of the students.

However, the teacher associations said the government is not heeding to their demands. “We have been fighting for our demands for over two years now. We will return to work only if they fulfil our demands,” said R. Doss, another coordinator of Jactto-Geo. .

He further said the teachers and employees will hold demonstrations in front of district headquarters on January 25.

The parents and students are worried as the strike has begun very near to annual exams. “The practical exams for board exams will start from next week. It will affect the preparation of the students,” they said.

A case against the strike is likely to come up for hearing in Madras high court on Wednesday.