Strike, suspension period of state govt staff regularised

TN Chief Secretary V Iraianbu had issued orders last week to regularise the government employees’ strike and suspension period as service period, as was announced by Chief Minister MK Stalin in the Assembly last month.

Several government employees and government teachers who struck work demanding the fulfillment of their requests in 2016, 2017 and 2019 were subjected to disciplinary action like suspension and they were denied pay for that period during the previous AIADMK regime. Though the previous government had issued orders in February 2021 to drop the disciplinary and criminal proceedings against the employees, the period of strike and suspension was not treated as service period.

Accepting the employee’s request in this regard, Stalin had announced the regularisation of the striking and suspension period in the Assembly on September 7, 2021.

As per the October 13 dated order of the Chief Secretary, the (striking) period from February 10 to 19, 2016, one day token strike on August 22, 2017, September 7 to 15, 2017 and January 22 to 30, 2019 would be regularised as service period of government employees and teachers. Periods of suspension of work related to the employees’ protest would also be regularised. Officers concerned have also been instructed to rectify the issues, if any, caused by such disciplinary actions to promotion of employees. The GO also said necessary action to reinstate such transferred teachers would be taken.