CTTU prepares for full-scale trade union action

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 05 October 2005, 21:00 GMT]
Mr.T.Mahasivam, General Secretary of the Ceylon Tamil Teachers Union (CTTU) said Wednesday that Tamil medium teachers would launch continuous strike from October 24 if the government fails to provide positive response to their 25 demands before 20 October. The CTTU has already submitted its 25 demands to Ministry Secretary Dr.Ms Tara de Mel in regard to the development of Tamil medium education in the northeast and to ensure equal opportunity in education to Tamil medium students.

He said the one day token strike held Wednesday was complete successful and about one thousand and five hundred Tamil medium Tamil schools did not function due to the absence of students and teachers after sending sick-note. Tamil medium Muslim schools are on vacation for Ramzan fasting.

Meanwhile, Tamil medium Muslim students studying in Tamil schools and Muslim teachers working in such schools also participated in the token strike, sources said.

He added Tamil medium officials working provincial education administration would be called upon to join the trade union action when Tamil medium teachers start continuous strike from October 24. CTTU will also invite Tamil people to observe one-day general shut down in the northeast province when teachers are on strike.

The number of Tamil medium Tamil students in the northeast province stands at on January 1 this year about 469,940 and Tamil medium Muslim students at around 156,844. The number of Tamil medium Tamil teachers stands at on January about 17,138 and Tamil medium Muslim teachers at about 5323, provincial education department sources said

In recent months about three thousand teachers have been newly recruited and majority of them are Tamil medium Tamils and Muslims.