Govt-Secondary Grade Teachers talks on pay issues inconclusive

CHENNAI: The discussion between Secondary Grade Teachers (SGT) and higher officials of the education department on Monday regarding wage discrepancy has been unsuccessful.

The meeting with officials was called in after the Secondary Grade Seniority Teacher’s Association (SSTA) announced a protest on September 28.

Despite negotiations to call off the protest, the members of the association had decided to hold the protest with as many as 15,000 participants at the Directorate of Public Instruction (DPI) campus on Thursday.

Speaking to DT Next, J Robert, general secretary of SSTA said, “It has been 14 years since we have been deprived of the rightful wage. After our protest in January this year, CM Stalin assured us that the demands would be met in the next three months and for the same, a three-member committee was also formed. But, all in vain.”

“As many as 20,000 staff have been affected due to the pay disparity. By the time the government acts on our demands, hundreds will retire, and many already have.”

SSTA members further go on to add that the government is deliberately holding the wages for the deprived staff. However, the protest will continue until the demands promised by the DMK government are met.

Nearly 20,000 SGTs were affected during the Seventh Pay Commission, triggering an indefinite hunger strike in Chennai, last year.

The SSTA members allege that teachers appointed after June 2009 are facing a pay discrepancy of Rs 3,170 for the same amount of work as those appointed on or before May 31, 2009.

Further, in the seventh pay commission, this discrepancy widened.

And, despite the DMK government promising to address the issue during the assembly election last year, no action has been taken so far, rued the members.