CHENNAI: The Joint Action Council of Tamil Nadu Teachers Organisations and Government Employees Organisations (JACTO-GEO) which claims to have around 10 lakh members is looking up to Chief Minister MK Stalin for fulfilling the electoral promises made by him about their long-pending demands. The council had already said that employees and teachers have been forced to launch protests from January 22 since the government did not take steps to fulfil their demands.
In a representation to Stalin, the council recalled that former chief minister J Jayalalithaa implemented the New Pension Scheme in 2003 ahead of other states. “But, to get the votes of government employees in 2011, she promised to revert to the Old Pension Scheme. But, she later betrayed the employees,” the council said.
Stalin, when he was the leader of the opposition, took part in the agitations of government employees and the DMK, in its election manifesto in 2021, promised to fulfil the long-pending demands of government employees.
“Now, the DMK has been in power for almost three years but no steps has been taken to fulfil its poll promises,” the council added.
“We have no other choice but to launch a series of protests from January 22 and begin an indefinite strike from February 26 if the government fails to respond to our demands,” the council added.
The important demands include reverting to the old pension scheme, resuming surrender leave encashment and incentives for higher studies, filling vacancies in government departments.