THE UNIQUE STRUGGLE OF KERALA GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES AND TEACHERS
The Kerala
Chief Minister Mr A.K. Antony, declared war on the state
government employees and teachers by unilaterally reducing the
rights and privileges being enjoyed by them. The government even
without a formal consultation with the organisation of the
employees and teachers, issued orders on January 9th curtailing
and withdrawing the following existing benefits:
1. Leave
surrender facility
2. Rate of pension commutation is reduced
3. Freezing all the loans including Housing advance for the
current financial year.
4. The salary for February, March will
be disbursed only on March 15th and for April.
5. Pension
scheme for future appointment will be stopped.
6. Only basic
pay will be given for the first two years for all the new
recruits.
7. Excess staff will be reduced either by off duty
scheme or by re-deployment.
8. Existing Protection for
teachers will be discontinued.
9. 2,644 schools will be closed
from next school year, majority are government aided private
schools.
10. All the temporary posts will be abolished.
11. Even open vacancies will be filled up only with government
permission.
These steps were announced by the government
pleading that it is necessary to tide over the financial
difficulties and by saving Rs. 500 crores annually. The 5 lakh
government employees and teachers declared strike protesting
against and went on strike on 5th February forgetting all the
organizational and political differences. The government on their
part took measures to suppress the strike by invoking "esma" and
arresting thousands of union activists. But this did not deter the
employees from the struggle. It has now developed into a big mass
action of the employees with daily increasing support from the
public, media, trade unions and political parties. All the Central
Trade unions in the State rallied unitedly to support the strike
and decided to go-on one day general strike on 5th March in case
the government fail to settle the issue.
The argument of the government that these steps were necessary for
getting over the financial crunch. The ministers themselves have
publically stated that the step was contemplated as per the
conditionalities agreed to by the government with the Asian
Development Bank for getting loan. The conditionalies include
downsizing i.e, reduction of number of government employees,
privatisation of public sector, change in the labour laws and
reduction of subsidies etc. The present attack is part of this.
Therefore the employees' fight is a fight against the imposition
of the conditionalities which ultimately goes against the state's
interest and how to rule the state is to be decided by the Bank
and not by the elected legislature of the state. Therefore the
strike is a strike not only to protect the interest of the
employees but also to protect the freedom and democracy.
The
unity forged by the government employees and teachers and the
total unified support by all the trade unions in the state for the
struggle is a unique event. The government of Mr. A.K. Antony
daily getting exposed and isolated from the public.
