Chennai, Dec 22 (NationPress) In a bid to intensify pressure on the Stalin administration, the Secondary Grade Seniority Teachers’ Association (SSTA) has declared a statewide protest on December 26, calling for a resolution to a pay disparity issue that has lingered for over two decades.

This association, representing approximately 20,000 Secondary Grade Teachers (SGTs) impacted by this ongoing issue, has already completed two rounds of protests this month. The initial phase involved teachers statewide donning tags to signal their demand for equitable wages. This was succeeded by district-level demonstrations in the second phase, where participants reiterated that their concerns have been overlooked despite continuous appeals to previous and current governments.

The crux of the issue lies in the salary discrepancy between teachers appointed before May 31, 2009, and those hired after June 2009.

Members of the SSTA assert that teachers appointed after 2009 are still receiving substantially lower pay than their senior counterparts, despite fulfilling the same roles and responsibilities within schools.

The association argues that the implementation of the Seventh Pay Commission in December 2022 has exacerbated the disparity, placing affected teachers in a more challenging financial situation.

This inequality, they claim, contravenes the fundamental principle of ‘equal pay for equal work’ and has inflicted long-term financial pressures on thousands of educators who began their careers after the specified date.

They express disappointment that both the previous AIADMK government and the current DMK administration have failed to rectify this issue, even after acknowledging its existence. Their frustration has intensified over the years as multiple appeals, protests, and memorandums have not led to any actionable policy changes.

Furthermore, the SSTA notes that this demand was included in the ruling party’s 2021 election manifesto, yet no significant actions have been taken since then.

As the protest date approaches, the government plans to engage with various stakeholders.

The School Education Minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi, Finance Minister Thangam Thennarasu, and Public Works Minister E.V. Velu are expected to meet with representatives from 44 government employee and teacher organizations, including those involved in broader service negotiations on Monday.

The SSTA emphasizes that the upcoming December 26 protest aims to spotlight the unresolved issue, and they are ready to escalate their agitation if their long-standing demand for salary equality continues to be ignored.