CTTU to launch trade union action to win demands

[TamilNet, Sunday, 16 February 2003, 18:53 GMT]
The Ceylon Tamil Teachers’ Union (CTTU) Sunday alerted its branches in the northeast province to be prepared to launch a concerted trade union action from March 3rd if the Minister of Human Resources Development, Education and Cultural Affairs, Dr.Karunasena Kodituwakku, failed to find solution to several longstanding demands put forward by the CTTU in July last year, sources said.

The CTTU general secretary Mr.T.Mahasivam has requested the Minister to give an early appointment to discuss more than fifteen demands related to the welfare of Tamil medium teachers serving in the northeast and upcountry districts.

The CTTU has pointed out to the minister that he has not kept several promises given by him at the last discussion with the delegation of the CTTU in July 2000. The CTTU also brought to the notice of the minister that of the sixteen demands only one demand was implemented and that was about paying arrears to teachers. The other fifteen demands have not been solved, CTTU told the Minister through a letter, sources said.

At the last discussion with the CTTU the Minister of Education had promised to find solution to problems of giving permanent appointment to volunteer teachers and to remove injustices done to Muslim and Tamils when appointments to Principal grade were made.

In another development, the CTTU general secretary Mr.Mahasivam has sent letters to his branch secretaries and members of the executive committee asking them to be ready to act if the minister did not invite the CTTU for further talks to find settlements to CTTU's demands, sources said.

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