RMSA-2016 teachers protest ‘No Work, No Pay’ notice

RMSA-2016 teachers have strongly protested the notice issued by Nagaland Education Mission Society (NEMS) enforcing the “No Work, No Pay” principle, terming it arbitrary, discriminatory and vindictive. In a press note, the teachers pointed out that they served the State for nearly a decade (9 years & 8 months) as duly appointed graduate teachers under RMSA, yet were denied parity with their colleagues under SSA 2010, 2013 and RMSA 2013.
They lamented that despite their loyalty and consistent service, the government failed to regularise their pay or extend the rightful benefits of government employees, subjecting them to prolonged financial hardship. They recalled that the High Court had ruled in their favour, and Supreme Court of India had upheld the verdict. Yet, instead of implementing the clear mandate of the courts, they alleged the government had resorted to intimidation by threatening to withhold their already meagre salaries.
They also noted that the State filed a review petition on the 85th day after its Special Leave Petition was dismissed by Supreme Court, terming it a tactic to delay justice. They asserted that review petitions were admitted only under rare circumstances and could not overturn the apex court’s verdict. Such manoeuvres, they said, revealed the intent to buy time and postpone implementation of the pay scale mandated by law.
Adding to the injustice, the teachers stated that for years they had served without timely payment- often waiting half-yearly for salaries- yet never once did they declare “No Pay, No Work.”
They argued that today, when they sought justice based on legitimate constitutional rights, the government turned against them with the threat of “No Work, No Pay,” calling it a double standard. They also expressed concern over the recent transfer/repatriation order by NEMS, which they alleged penalised certain teachers who were temporarily deployed as Trainers of Teachers. They maintained that though couched in administrative language, the timing of the order suggested it was punitive in nature against those participating in the ongoing protest. According to the teachers, the present notice was “harsh, arbitrary and vindictive,” punishing them twice– first, by denying fair pay for nearly a decade, and now, by attempting to strip them of wages and destabilise their service for peacefully demanding justice. Such coercive measures, they warned, only demoralised teachers.
Reiterating that their struggle was not against the government but for fairness, dignity and equality in service, the teachers said their work record of nearly 10 years testified to their sincerity. They therefore urged the government to immediately revoke the order and initiate genuine dialogue, cautioning that continued delay would only deepen the injustice and prolong the suffering of teachers who had devoted their best years to the service of students in Nagaland.