Curtains down on AU deadlock

The deadlock that continued for about a week between the Annamalai University administration and its employees ended here on Friday after the varsity Syndicate decided to drop attempts to cut salary of the workers and retrench many of them.

Following this decision, it was reliably learnt that the employees decided to call off their strike and return to work once the assurance was given in writing.

The university was shut last Saturday following protests by teaching and non-teaching staff against the austerity measures proposed by the administration.

Speaking to Express over the phone, Vice Chancellor M Ramanathan said that keeping in mind the volatile situation prevailing at the varsity, it was decided by the executive body to give up on the decision to cut down on salary of the employees. “We have decided to take other measures to fight the cash strap. There won’t be any retrenchment,” he said.

For zeroing in on other measures, he said a three-member committee would be formed to study the finances of the varsity.

“The committee will have a former Vice Chancellor, a retired Judge and a financial consultant either from the government or an independent one,” he said.

Asked if the varsity had the funds to meet the salary requirements, he said the government would be approached for a bail-out package. “We will go to the government to see if we could be given extra funds to tide over this crisis,” he said.

Ramanathan said if the employees decided to get back to work, the University could be reopened as early as on Monday. “The postponed examinations would also be held soon after taking into consideration those who come from long distances,” he pointed out.

The conclusion to the week-long saga came at Friday’s Syndicate meeting, which saw heated arguments between members. Earlier on Monday, the Joint Action Council, met the Higher Education Minister P Palaniappan and urged the government to intervene.