Equal work, equal pay: Odisha secondary school teachers’ stir enters Day 2

The three-day strike called by the Odisha Secondary School Teachers’ Association (OSSTA) entered the second day on Thursday.

As they continue to stage dharna at the PMG square in Bhubaneswar braving rains, the government is yet to take a call on their demands.

It is pertinent to mention here that more than 10,000 teachers hit the streets and took out a massive rally in the State capital demanding pension, gratuity, and changes in terms and conditions of their service rules.

“At a time when MLAs and MPs get life-long pensions even after serving the people for only five years, we teachers, who have been toiling hard day-in day-out for the last 30-35 years, are forced to sit on the road to ask for the same. This is unfortunate and the next generation of students will keep this act of the government in mind while growing up,” said a protesting teacher.

Asked about the dharna despite the rains, a lady teacher said, “The agony of returning home empty-handed without any assurance from the government is far greater than the pain of sitting on the road in the rain.”

The government made several promises in our Constituency during the last election. The govt had promised to include 226 schools under the 7th pay commission, but they are yet to receive anything till now,” said a protesting teacher from Padampur.