Tamil Nadu secretariat association and five others announce token strike on Jan 30

CHENNAI: Even as Joint Action Council of Tamil Nadu Teachers’ Organizations and Government Employees’ Organizations (Jactto-Geo), the supreme body of government staff, intensifying the protests and government refusing to budge, six registered unions, including Tamil Nadu Secretariat Officers’ Association on Monday announced a token strike on January 30, virtually joining their counterparts.

The associations demanded that the government scrap the new contributing pension scheme being implemented to those who joined the service after 2003 and revert to old scheme, release of pending dues of the seventh pay commission from the notional date of implementation and revoke government order that constituted staff rationalisation committee set up to evaluate the staff structure in various departments and identify non-essential posts so as to reduce the revenue expenditure.

In a letter addressed to chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami, the office-bearers said they were deeply anguished and shocked by the statement put out by Personnel and Administrative Reforms minister, D Jayakumar, rejecting outright the demands. “We urge the chief minister to intervene and take action on our three demands and review the stand of the government… Early meeting should be held with the office-bearers, failing which even the recognized associations will have to hold continuous protests,” the office-bearers said.

Recalling the several rounds of talks with the government in the past, the office-bearers said the associations were hopeful of government meeting the demands after being assured of considering and implementing at an appropriate time. “The rejection of demands has created a turmoil among the staffs. It has also led to a situation for us to agitate,” the office bearers said. They demanded that government release the remanded staffs and withdraw the cases against them.

The other signatories include, Tamil Nadu Government Employees Union, Tamil Nadu Arasu Aluvalar Kazhagam (C&D Group), Tamil Nadu Office Assistants and Basic Servants State Central Association, Tamil Nadu Government Departments Drivers Central Association, Tamil Nadu Government Secretariat Drivers Association. Earlier, Tamil Nadu Secretariat Association held a meeting on the premises of Fort St George and extended solidarity to the striking counterparts.