Secondary-grade teachers commence indefinite protest demanding equal pay for equal work

CHENNAI: Yet again urging the government to address their long-standing demand of equal pay for equal work, the Secondary-grade teachers (SGTs) began an indefinite protest at DPI campus here on Monday. As the protest entered the second day, several hundreds of teachers were arrested by the police.

On Monday, as many as 9,000 teachers took part in the protest. And, on the same day, more than 1,000 teachers were arrested and on the second day, over 900 teachers were arrested, as per the members of Secondary Grade Seniority Teacher's Association (SSTA).

Speaking to DT NEXT, a SSTA member said, "This is the first time we are engaging in a protest during a working day and the government pushed us to such dire conditions. Though we are demanding for our rights, the police have been mishandling us like criminals."

The member further went on to say that through several years, each government has been forming various committees to address SGTs issue. Yet, there has been no resolution.

"Through our years of protest, we have seen about five committees formed. Though, CM Stalin assured the recent committee will submit its report in three months, we are yet to hear anything from them, despite it being over six months," rued a member.

The protesting members went on to say that though the government is allocating Rs 44,042 crore for the education department, it needs teachers for its effective implementation among children.

Meanwhile, the reason for the protest is that close to 20,000 SGTs for the past 15 years have been requesting both the AIADMK and DMK governments to address the pay disparity faced by teachers appointed after June 2009 of Rs 3,170 for the same amount of work than those appointed on or before May 31, 2009.

The teachers also claim that in December 2022, the SGTs were severely affected by the seventh pay commission as the pay gap further widened.