Mumbai Teachers Protest Over Salary Dues, Demand Permanent Posts

“More than 450 teachers in Mumbai have not been getting their salaries for last 4 years,” say agitating teachers.

Mumbai’s junior college teachers staged a protest outside the district collector’s office in Bandra on Friday, 18 January. The agitation, organised by Mumbai Junior College Teachers Union (MJCTU), saw teachers demanding government action on clearing their salaries that have been due for years now.

“More than 450 teachers in Mumbai are not getting their salaries for the last four-five years. Some teachers are being paid a very meagre amount by the management worth approximately Rs 8,000, and they are being removed every year and reappointed. Even if they are getting approval, their file is later getting rejected and isn’t being pushed.”

Arvind Srinivasan, teacher

Kiran Rai, 40, a Commerce teacher at IDUBS College, was appointed on contract in 2015. But just a year ago, when she was up for permanent approval, she alleges that her approval was rejected. In order to get salaries from the government, teachers’ appointments have to go through an approval process. Rai has been working without pay for over a year now.

“Teachers in minority institutions are supposed to receive their approval immediately if they are qualified, without any restrictions, according to the government rule. But they told me that there’s no workload and without giving me any reason, they rejected my approval. By rule, for the first three years, I should have got salary according to the contract pay scale, and by the fourth year, it should be according to the government pay scale.”

Kiran Rai, commerce teacher 

Hoping to eventually receive her salary and a permanent position, Kiran Rai travels about 45 kms to her college every day, even today.

Vandana Savakare, a 36-year-old Marathi teacher at PD Turakia Junior College, is in a similar situation. Savakare, who earned Rs 4,500 per month for the three years that she worked as a contract employee, was supposed to earn at least Rs 18,000 under payroll once she became a permanent employee. However, things didn’t pan out the way she imagined it would.

“I have been working at PD Turakhia Junior College for over five years now. The first three years were fine but once the contract ended after three years and I was supposed to enter payroll, the management submitted a report showing that the number of students has dipped. This was a lie because the number of students has only increased. I have not been paid for two years now.”

Vandana Savakare, teacher 

Savakare, too, has been travelling to college daily in the last two years despite not getting paid.

Mumbai witnessed similar protests by Junior College teachers around March 2018 as well, when the evaluation process of HSC mark sheets was stalled across the state after a section of teachers called for boycott. But despite the demonstrations, the agitating teachers say nothing has changed.

“Every time, we end up withdrawing our strike in the interest of our students, but what about the interests of the teachers? They have never looked at that. Selection grade should be given to all teachers. Some teachers with qualifications like M. Com, B. Ed, MPhil and PhD are getting only Rs 8, 000. How can a person survive with their spouse and children and live in Mumbai with only Rs 8,000? The government is only giving us assurances for eight years now.”

Manmohan Sharma, teacher at NG Acharya DK Marathi College 

Members of the MJCTU threatened to carry out silent protests on 30 January to get their point across to the Maharashtra government.

“If that doesn’t work either, then during the board exam, we will launch a non-cooperation movement. The government will be responsible for this,” said Anil Deshmukh, general secretary of MJCTU.