TN to withdraw cases against govt employees who struck work in 2019

Cases filed against Tamil Nadugovernment employees, including teachers, for their January2019 strike over various demands would be withdrawn in thespirit of ''forget and forgive,'' Chief Minister K Palaniswamisaid on Monday.

Department wise disciplinary proceedings were also beingwithdrawn, he said in a statement here.

Various unions of government employees and teachers hadembarked on an indefinete strike in January 2019, pressing fordemands, including release of 21-month salary arrears in linewith the 7th Pay Commission recommendations, withdrawing theNew Pension Scheme and addressing wage anomalies, he recalled.

Department wise disciplinary proceedings were initiatedagainst nearly 7,900 teachers and 408 cases booked againstover 17,600 employees for taking part in road blockadeprotests, among others, he said.

As many as 2,338 people were suspended, but reinstatedlater, he added.

However, they had resumed work in about a week followinghis plea and had earlier requested him to drop all the actioninitiated against them, including the cases, he said.

On Monday, members of a union met Fisheries and Personneland Administrative Minister D Jayakumar and reiterated theirdemand, which he took up with Palaniswami.

''The request was considered by the government, which isdropping all the pending action and criminal cases in thespirit of forget and forgive,'' the chief minister added.