Teachers intensify strike

University and degree college teachers, who are on an indefinite strike, have decided to take their protest to the streets to win public support for their demands. Snehal Rebello reports.

University and degree college teachers, who are on an indefinite strike, have decided to take their protest to the streets to win public support for their demands.

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After 19 days of being on strike and 24 hours of futile negotiations spread over six meetings with the state government, about 100 teachers demonstrated on Saturday at the university’s Kalina campus and announced that the campaign would start on Monday.

The teachers will add checking papers and other administrative work to the list of things they will no longer do.

They will also actively seek the support of students, some of who are already actively supporting the protest through social networking sites.

“If the government doesn’t arrive at a decision before the Election Commission enforces the code of conduct, it could translate into a loss of lakhs of votes of employees, multiplied by those of their families,” said CR Sadasivan, president of the Maharashtra Federation University and College Teachers’ Organisation.

“The government can’t afford that to happen. We are starting intensification programmes to project teacher solidarity.”
The government was slated to restart negotiations on Monday, but late on Saturday it sent a letter to the federation that indicated that it had not changed its stance.

Starting from August 4, teachers from colleges in Ghatkopar, Vidyavihar and Bhandup will assemble at Jhunjhunwala College in Ghatkopar and walk through these areas. Similarly, another set of teachers will assemble at Gamdevi Maidan in Thane.