People's Democracy

Non-Teaching Employees Organise Parliament Chalo

 Ganga

THE non-teaching employees of universities across the country conducted a massive dharna in front of parliament preceded by a colorful march from Ramlila Maidan to parliament on December 4, 2007 to press for their 12 point charter of demands.

Over 2000 employees from more than hundred universities representing about three lakh employees in the country attended. 21 states including Karnataka, West Bengal, Kerala, Tripura, Andhra Pradesh, Tamilnadu, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Jammu & Kashmir, Punjab, Orissa, Assam, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur and Pondicherry participated in the action programme under the banner of All India University Employees Confederation.

Charter of demands:

1.         UGC pay review committee which is already constituted in consequence of 6th Pay Commission, should also recommend pay scales and service conditions of non-teaching employees of universities as is done in case of teachers and officers.

2.         Retain the autonomy of universities and democratise university acts ensuring adequate representation from all sections of the society including the non-teaching employees in the decision making bodies of the universities.

3.         Change the anti-people policies of the central government.

4.         Resist the all-out self financing policy in academic institutions.

5.         More funds from central government, state government, and UGC to the universities and to increase budget allocations for education sector.

6.         To enact central legislation to control self financing colleges and ensuring social justice to socially and economically backward students.

7.         Stop undesirable and unjustified activities of NAAC.

8.         To stop conferring deemed university status to unqualified institutions.

9.         Recruitment of permanent staff to stop random contractual/agency system of appointment.

10.     Central legislation for safeguarding the right to strike.

11.     Stop victimisation of trade union leaders and workers.

12.     Stop anti-employees new pension scheme.

The entire four kilometre march to parliament from Ramlila Maidan gathered attention of the office going employees and working class with the 300 strong West Bengal unit wearing colorful caps, carrying banners and play cards and singing of revolutionary songs, with a tune mixture of Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada, Telugu, Hindi, Oriya, Bengali, Assamese, Punjabi languages. Slogans were raised on the demands. At several places, the traffic was blocked for at least 30 minutes to allow the procession to pass peacefully.

Before launching this action programme, a widespread campaign was conducted through leaflets, posters, print and electronic media in all the states to popularise the 12- point charter of demands.

The rally was addressed by the leaders of all the 21 states. Dr Baburao, Lok Sabha member of CPI(M) also addressed the rally and assured the non-teaching employees of universities of his Party support and said he would raise their issues in parliament.

At the beginning of the rally, Prof Vijendra Sharma of Delhi University and the chairman of Reception committee of this parliament chalo action programme welcomed and congratulated the employees who have come from different corners of the country. He urged upon the university non-teaching employees to fight unitedly against the onslaught of globalisation and commodification of higher education along with their just demands.

The non-teaching employees of universities pledged to launch a bigger movement along with the other democratic forces to fight the imperialist sponsored global attack on higher education which is denying access to the poorer sections of the people.

A delegation of the AIUEC also met HRD minister Shri Arjun Singh and discussed with him the plight of the non-teaching employees of universities. The minister heard them patiently and assured immediate action in the matter. Md Salim, MP accompanied the delegation.