The North Bengal University (NBU) unit of the Sara Bangla Trinamool Sikshabandhu Samiti — an association of the non-teaching employees — submitted a memorandum to the acting registrar of the varsity on Wednesday, announcing cease work by the temporary and contractual staff.
The decision followed mounting tensions over a committee formed by the registrar to examine salary structures and regular increments for temporary and contractual employees, said sources.
In all, there are 400 contractual and temporary employees at NBU.
Ranjit Roy, president of the NBU unit of the organisation, alleged that a section of senior university officials
and some teacher leaders showed open hostility towards the committee and questioned its validity.
“Such obstruction was unacceptable as the committee was formed to review demands of employees who continue to work without security and fair pay,” said Roy.
“We have declared that till the committee meets and conducts its proceedings smoothly, and the demand for recognition of fair wages is met, all temporary and contractual staff will observe cease work,” he added.
Sources said that they warned that the responsibility for any disruption in the functioning of the university would rest entirely on officials and teacher leaders, who, according to the samiti, were creating hurdles in the way of the employees’ legitimate demands.
“The samiti’s leadership underscored that their protest was not against the university as an institution but against individuals within the system,” said a contractual employee. “They pointed out that temporary and contractual staff are a large backbone of the university’s daily functioning, and pushing them into insecurity for years cannot continue.”
Representatives of the samiti said the cease work was a collective decision and would continue till the varsity administration took concrete steps to address their demands.