Chennai: The State government has warned its employees of stringent action if they participated in the nation-wide strike on Jan. 8 and 9. The government directed its staff not to indulge in the agitation in violation of the provisions of the Tamil Nadu Government Servants Conduct Rule, “lest disciplinary action be taken against them.”
State Chief Secretary Girija Vaidyanathan issued the warning to all government officials, stating that strict action will be taken against those government staff found taking part in the strike. “I am to point out that strike or threat of strike or participation by Government Servants in strike or demonstration or any other form of agitation affecting the normal functioning of the government offices amount to violation of rules 20, 22 and 22 A of the Tamil Nadu Government Servants Conduct Rules, 1973,” she said upon receiving information about members of an unrecognised service association participating in the All India Strike announced by various Central Trade Unions.
“If any of the Government servants have not attended office, consequent of their participation in the proposed All India strike, their period of absence has to be considered as unauthorised and they are not entitled to any pay and allowances on the basis of the principle of No Work - No Pay," a circular to all government departments, stated.
Part-time employees, daily wage earners and those on consolidated pay will be liable to be discharged from service. "The application of casual Leave or any other leave, other than medical leave, shall not be allowed on the days of the proposed strike," it added. The heads of all departments have been further instructed to send a consolidated report on the attendance position of the staff working in the office under their entire administrative control, including village, taluk, district levels and Secretariat Administrative Department concerned, by 10.15 am on Jan. 8 and 9.
The two-day general strike is meant to protest against the anti-worker and anti-trade union policies of the Narendra Modi government.
