Despite HC directive, govt. workers stick to their guns
CHENNAI, JANUARY 25, 2019 00:00 IST
Sea of anger:Government workers staging an agitation in Krishnagiri.N. Bashkaran
Various govt. departments issue notices to striking workers over the ‘illegal’ stir
Despite the Madras High Court’s direction to return to work by January 25 and the State government’s warning of disciplinary action, the Joint Action Council of Tamil Nadu Teachers’ Organisations and Government Employees’ Organisations (Jactto-Geo) on Thursday decided to continue its indefinite strike.
On Thursday, various government departments, including those of school and higher education, issued notices to the staff involved in the indefinite strike, asking them to return to work immediately. The striking teachers were told they won’t be paid for the period of agitation and will face disciplinary action as their strike was ‘illegal’.
The School Education Director, in his communication to Chief Educational Officers (CEOs), directed them to issue show cause notices to the striking staff, asking them to resume duty immediately, failing which disciplinary action would be initiated against them.
In its notice, the government said the strike, affecting its normal functioning, amounted to a violation of Rules 20, 22 and 22A of the T.N. Government Servants Conduct Rules, 1973. It was also against the spirit of the Supreme Court judgement in T.K. Rangarajan Vs Government of Tamil Nadu and others, in which the court held that there was no fundamental or legal/statutory right to go on strike. The Madras High Court had also issued an interim order on January 23, directing teachers to resume work.
In such a situation, resorting to an indefinite strike was considered illegal, the notice said.
The School Education Director, in his communication to CEOs, said the period of absence had to be considered an unauthorised one, and as such, the protesting staff were not entitled to pay and allowances, on the basis of the principle of ‘no work, no pay’.
The Additional Secretary of the Higher Education Department sent a communication to the Commissioner of Technical Education and the Director of Collegiate Education, asking them to issue a similar notice directing the staff to return to work or face disciplinary action.
Likewise, the striking government servants from various departments had been issued notices through the respective district administrations and heads of departments, officials said.
However, Jactto-Geo leaders told reporters following a meeting in Chennai that they will go ahead with protests at the district level on Friday to press their nine-point charter of demands. On January 26, a State-level meeting would be held in Chennai. From January 28 onwards, they will intensify their stir.
“The strike will continue. In 1988, we fought for 31 days. During Jayalalithaa’s rule in 2003, many of us were dismissed. The government will issue show cause notices. It is their job. We have got our salaries only because of our struggles. We have to fight for our rights,” said a leader of the organisation.
Protests intensify
The High Court’s directive did not seem to have any impact in the districts.
Thousands of Jactto-Geo members were arrested for staging road-rokos on the third day of their indefinite strike in Tiruchi and other districts in the central region.
In Tiruchi city, over 2,000 teachers and government employees were arrested after they staged a road blockade near the Collectorate. They were released in the evening. The participation of elementary school teachers in the district was substantial, leading to the closure of the institutions for the third consecutive day, said K. Uduman Ali, one of the Tiruchi district coordinators of Jactto-Geo.
A large number of women employees and teaching staff joined the agitation. The police had a tough time removing them from the roads in Ramanathapuram. For almost an hour, traffic movement on the Rameswaram-Ramanathapuram National Highway came to a grinding halt.
Similarly, ministerial staff from the Police Department joined the agitation in large numbers in Virudhunagar district. In Tirunelveli district, many women courted arrest at S.N. High Road. Elementary schools wore a deserted look in Dindigul, Madurai and Sivaganga districts as teachers joined the stir.
Over 2,000 protesters courted arrest in Coimbatore. They were released later. Panchayat union elementary and middle schools remained shut due to the protests. The participation of teachers had swelled despite the HC directive asking them to return to work.
CHENNAI, JANUARY 25, 2019 00:00 IST
Sea of anger:Government workers staging an agitation in Krishnagiri.N. Bashkaran
Various govt. departments issue notices to striking workers over the ‘illegal’ stir
Despite the Madras High Court’s direction to return to work by January 25 and the State government’s warning of disciplinary action, the Joint Action Council of Tamil Nadu Teachers’ Organisations and Government Employees’ Organisations (Jactto-Geo) on Thursday decided to continue its indefinite strike.
On Thursday, various government departments, including those of school and higher education, issued notices to the staff involved in the indefinite strike, asking them to return to work immediately. The striking teachers were told they won’t be paid for the period of agitation and will face disciplinary action as their strike was ‘illegal’.
The School Education Director, in his communication to Chief Educational Officers (CEOs), directed them to issue show cause notices to the striking staff, asking them to resume duty immediately, failing which disciplinary action would be initiated against them.
In its notice, the government said the strike, affecting its normal functioning, amounted to a violation of Rules 20, 22 and 22A of the T.N. Government Servants Conduct Rules, 1973. It was also against the spirit of the Supreme Court judgement in T.K. Rangarajan Vs Government of Tamil Nadu and others, in which the court held that there was no fundamental or legal/statutory right to go on strike. The Madras High Court had also issued an interim order on January 23, directing teachers to resume work.
In such a situation, resorting to an indefinite strike was considered illegal, the notice said.
The School Education Director, in his communication to CEOs, said the period of absence had to be considered an unauthorised one, and as such, the protesting staff were not entitled to pay and allowances, on the basis of the principle of ‘no work, no pay’.
The Additional Secretary of the Higher Education Department sent a communication to the Commissioner of Technical Education and the Director of Collegiate Education, asking them to issue a similar notice directing the staff to return to work or face disciplinary action.
Likewise, the striking government servants from various departments had been issued notices through the respective district administrations and heads of departments, officials said.
However, Jactto-Geo leaders told reporters following a meeting in Chennai that they will go ahead with protests at the district level on Friday to press their nine-point charter of demands. On January 26, a State-level meeting would be held in Chennai. From January 28 onwards, they will intensify their stir.
“The strike will continue. In 1988, we fought for 31 days. During Jayalalithaa’s rule in 2003, many of us were dismissed. The government will issue show cause notices. It is their job. We have got our salaries only because of our struggles. We have to fight for our rights,” said a leader of the organisation.
Protests intensify
The High Court’s directive did not seem to have any impact in the districts.
Thousands of Jactto-Geo members were arrested for staging road-rokos on the third day of their indefinite strike in Tiruchi and other districts in the central region.
In Tiruchi city, over 2,000 teachers and government employees were arrested after they staged a road blockade near the Collectorate. They were released in the evening. The participation of elementary school teachers in the district was substantial, leading to the closure of the institutions for the third consecutive day, said K. Uduman Ali, one of the Tiruchi district coordinators of Jactto-Geo.
A large number of women employees and teaching staff joined the agitation. The police had a tough time removing them from the roads in Ramanathapuram. For almost an hour, traffic movement on the Rameswaram-Ramanathapuram National Highway came to a grinding halt.
Similarly, ministerial staff from the Police Department joined the agitation in large numbers in Virudhunagar district. In Tirunelveli district, many women courted arrest at S.N. High Road. Elementary schools wore a deserted look in Dindigul, Madurai and Sivaganga districts as teachers joined the stir.
Over 2,000 protesters courted arrest in Coimbatore. They were released later. Panchayat union elementary and middle schools remained shut due to the protests. The participation of teachers had swelled despite the HC directive asking them to return to work.
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