Mumbai school’s teachers may strike again

Teachers of St Xavier’s School, Nerul, who had recently observed a four-day strike demanding sixth pay commission salaries, have threatened to go on a strike again, if the school management does not pay them renewed salaries immediately.

The teachers were frustrated after the trustees of the school were not present at the first meeting of the newly appointed seven-member committee held on Thursday.

The meeting was headed by Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation education officer Balasaheb Mane.

The teachers complained that Varsha Burli, one of the trustees, remained absent.

“Despite informing Burli well in advance about the meeting, she did not show up. Even Mane tried to call her several times, but she did not answer her phone. Clearly the management is not cooperating with us or the education officers,” said Manisha Andhansare, principal of the school.

Burli told DNA, “I was busy with another meeting that day and so I informed them that I could not come.”

Now, another meeting has been scheduled for December 20. However, teachers say that if the trustees give that meeting a miss, they will start a cease-work strike once again.

“It looks like they have no intention of paying us revised salaries. We have spent nearly a month now waiting for them to take action. If it happens again, we will strike,” added Andhansare.

Jayant Jain, Forum for Fairness and one of the committee members, said, “The committee is only an eyewash because the school and the government wanted the strike to be withdrawn quickly. The school had promised to pay teachers by December 21, but they are delaying the meetings deliberately,” he said.