Teacher unions’ meeting with CM deferred to June 19

Ludhiana, June 9

Meeting of various teacher unions’ head with the Chief Minister Amarinder Singh has been postponed to June 19. The meeting was scheduled for June 4.

Earlier, the major demands of teachers’ federation were put on hold due to election code in Shahkot. On March 25, over 10,000 teachers under the banner of the ‘Sanjha Adhiyapak Morcha’ blocked the national highway in Ludhiana as a mark of their protest.

A mild cane charge was also used upon the protesting teachers. The protest was called off upon getting confirmation from the Chief Minister Office that the demands of the teachers would be heard.

Regularisation of contractual teachers was the election manifesto of the Congress during the Assembly polls. They had promised to regularise the teachers who were appointed during the SAD-BJP regime on a contractual basis, thus winning their trust. However, teachers’ unions started to revolt when they apprehended that this government too would not pay heed to their demands.

Didar Singh Mudki, Co-convener of Sanjha Adhiyapak Morcha, said: “We have been asked to appear for the meeting on June 19. Our major demand is the regularisation of contractual employees. We will carry out a series of protests if our demands are not met or salaries are reduced by the government.”

Gurpreet Singh, a state committee member of Sanjha Adhiyapak Morcha, said: “We have submitted suggestions on rationalisation policy to the Punjab Education Secretary, Krishan Kumar, prior to the meeting.”

Education Minister OP Soni said the transfer policy and rationalisation policy for teachers had been put on hold due to the union’s resentment. He said: “It is because of the resentment of teachers towards the policies, we have decided to revise the policies. —TNS

Their demands

• Regularisation of contractual employees
• Dismissal of the transfer of teachers after seven years 
• Withdrawal of rationalisation policy
• Full pay scale to be given