CHENNAI: The one-week-old strike of government employees and teachers fizzled out on Tuesday with about 97% of teachers and more than 85% of government employees reporting for duty across the state. The threat of disciplinary action, coupled with the offer made by school education minister K A Sengottaiyan to transfer teachers, who rejoin duty, to schools of their choice prompted most of them to report for duty at the respective chief educational offices.
Earlier in the day, TN advocate-general Vijay Naray-an, appearing before the high court, categorically ruled out talks with the protesting government employees citing pleas challenging the strike pending in court. Narayan's submission was in response to Jactto-Geo plea in the court to direct the government to hold talks with the unions.
The unions assured the court they would withdraw the strike immediately if the government was ready for talks.
Efforts of Justice N Kirubakaran to "act as a bridge" between the government and the protesting employees failed to evoke any response. "Though the demands of the teachers look fair, other government employees joining the strike gives an impression that they are trying to blackmail the state," Justice Kirubakaran said while adjourning the hearing.
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Many teachers, TOI spoke to, said getting a posting of one’s choice is like saving ₹4-6 lakh bribe involved in obtaining transfer orders. Several thousand teachers across the state have been waiting for months for securing transfers to their preferred locations.
Moreover, the government had on Monday threatened that those who do not report for duty on Tuesday would have to forgo their current posting and would have to take transfers to other schools, locations and even districts. Fear of transfers to far off places and impending disciplinary action should have forced people to report for duty.
On Tuesday, the state school education directorate sent a circular to all CEOs to wait till 7 pm and initiate disciplinary proceedings against all the absentees and also declare their posts vacant. “Over 97% of teachers in high and higher secondary sections joined work on Tuesday,” said VC Rameswaramurugan, director of the state school education department.
Chennai CEO, R Thiruvalarselvi said only four teachers abstained from work on Tuesday. “Schools functioned with 99.7% teachers reporting for duty,” she said.