People's Democracy

Significant Victory, But Continue The Fight: AISGEF

THE All India State government Employees’ Federation has expressed happiness that Tamilnadu government has been compelled to largely retreat from the ferocious offensive it launched on the striking employees and teachers of Tamilnadu in July 2003.

The announcement made by the state chief minister, Jayalalitha, of reinstating 999 dismissed employees is a big retreat for the vindictive government of Tamilnadu and equally a big victory for the resistance put up by All India State Government Employees Federation, Central Government Employees Confederation, trade unions in financial sector and other central trade unions. This retreat is largely due to the tremendous response being received for the all India strike on February 24 against this victimisation and in defence of the right to strike. Moreover, the electoral compulsions have also acted upon the Tamil Nadu chief minister in taking this course, felt the AISGEF in its statement.

It however cautioned that the victory of the employees is not yet complete. The employees will have to suffer increment cut with cumulative effect. Moreover, the humiliating bonds under which 1,70,000 employees and teachers who were earlier dismissed and later were allowed to join still stands and these atrocious bonds have not been nullified. Moreover, the TESMA and the notorious government Servants’ Conduct Rules, which were used to dismiss the employees, have not yet been repealed.

So employees, teachers and workers will have to continue the fight for nullifying the remaining punishments and reassert the right to strike in the background of anti-worker ruling of Supreme Court, repeal of ESMA and British-made government Servant Conduct Rulers.   

The All India State government Employees Federation, while warmly congratulating the Tamilnadu employees and teachers for their heroic battle, firmly calls upon the workers and employees to make the all India strike on February 24 to re-assert right to strike a historic success.