The Hindu : Front Page : Strike hits offices, educational institutions

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Oct 31, 2007
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Strike hits offices, educational institutions

Special Correspondent

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A one-day strike called by pro-Left service and teachers’ organisations disrupted the functioning of Central and State government offices and several educational institutions across the State on Tuesday.

The strike, called as part of a country-wide agitation organised by employees’ and teachers’ organisations mainly to protest against the ‘privatisation’ of the pension scheme being attempted by the Central government, saw a large number of employees and teachers joining it. Several government and aided schools could not function due to thin attendance. The strike also affected the functioning of the Secretariat, government offices, universities, the Public Service Commission (PSC) and offices of local self-government institutions across the State.

Leaders’ claims

C.R. Jose Prakash, convener of a joint action council of employees and teachers, claimed that the strike was total in several offices in the State and that 90 per cent of the employees and teachers had participated in it. Kerala School Teachers’ Association (KSTA) general secretary A.K. Chandran said that over 80 per cent schoolteachers had joined the strike. Association of Kerala Government College Teachers (AKGCT) general secretary J. Prasad said majority of college teachers too had joined the strike. The teachers on strike held demonstrations in all colleges.

Kerala Municipal and Corporation Staff Union general secretary K. Jayadevan said the strike had brought the functioning of all the five municipal Corporations and 53 municipalities in the State to a halt.

Central institutions

The Confederation of Central Government Employees and Workers said the strike had hit the functioning of most Central government institutions and offices in the State. Kerala Legislature Secretariat Staff Association general secretary J. Rajendra Kumar said the strike was total in the Legislature Secretariat with 95 per cent of the employees staying away from work.

P. Bhaskaran, Senior Deputy Accountant General (Administration) here, said attendance was normal at the AG’s office despite the strike call. The Federation of Employees and Teachers Organisations State committee alleged that employees who had reported for work at various offices were threatened by pro-Left employees. The Kerala NGO Association claimed that the strike was partial.

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