Pay for Strike period: Karunanidhi

Chennai, June 23 (UNI) Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi today announced that his government would treat as ''duty period'', the five days declared as ''loss of pay'' by the previous AIADMK government when the government employees launched a strike in 2003.

Speaking at a function organised by the Secretariat employees to felicitate the Chief Minister and the council of Ministers here, Mr Karunanidhi, said he had signed an order to this effect this morning, before coming to the function.

Amid loud cheers, he said his government would treat as duty period the one day when the employees organised a token strike on April 10, 2003 and four days from July one to four, 2003 when they launched an indefinite strike.

Mr Karunanidhi also announced that the scrapping of Government order passed by the previous government that the secretariat staff and government employees should sign twice in the attendance register both in the morning and in the evening. ''It is enough if you sign just once in the morning,'' the Chief Minister said.

He also announced a government job for the daughter of Thirukazhukundram Thasildhar, who was killed when he tried to prevent illicit sand quarrying.

The July strike had kicked off a row with the then Jayalalithaa government sacking at one stroke, more than 1.75 lakh government employees and arresting many after invoking Tamil Nadu Essential Services Act.

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