Calicut University Employees Union

Calicut University Employees Union is the largest organization of the employees at University of Calicut. On March 20, 1968, four Months before the formation of Calicut University, Employees of the Kerala University Centres held a meeting at Malabar Christian College and formed the 'Calicut University Centre of non-teaching Staff Union'. Later, on 10 February 1970, this organization evolved into Calicut University Employees Union.^[1]

Struggles

Listed below are a few of the struggles which are glittering chapters in the history of the Union.

•The move to fill higher posts by deputation denying eligible promotion to the existing staff of the University was prevented by the Union in 1970. The strike by the Union which started in January, 1971 demanding service and wage parity as per the Kerala University pattern and creation of new posts ended successfully.

• The State Employees and teachers who began strike on January 30, 1970 demanding implementation of DA at central rates also witnessed participation of Calicut University Staff en bloc. The Union also functioned as a member organization of the Kozhikode-based workers co-ordination council during this period.

• The resistance struggle started by the Union on 22 December 1972 questioning the unjustified suspension of Smt. Anjelina George, an employee of the Commerce Department is an important chapter in its history. Declaring prohibitory order, University authorities and State Government let loose Police Raj in the campus. The strike went on for 17 days and the State Government amended KSR adding Article 58 (A) to implement dies non. Later in January, 1973, the Achutha Menon Ministry used this rule to suppress the strike of the employees for pay revision.

• The novel agitation 'Kutil Kettal' (making hut), resolved to by the Union in February, 1982, to draw attention to the problem of residential accommodation resulted in the construction of working men's and working women's hostels.

• Struggle for the creation of new posts after proper assessment of the workload of the employees also came to a successful end. When these norms these were violated in 1992, the union put up strong resistance and agitation.

• The historic struggle against the formation of Pre Degree Board in 1986 which went on for 54 days is a glittering chapter in the history of struggles of University Employees in Kerala. This agitation built up by the Confederation of University Organizations through relentless campaign drew its energy and implication mainly from Calicut University Employees Union. The historic movement which developed into a mass agitation paved the way for the downfall of the then UDF Government and swearing in of the LDF Ministry.

• The black decree promulgated by the Antony Government in 2002 torpedoing major rights and benefits acquired by the working class of the Kerala through selfless struggles and strikes for many years led to great resistance in which the Union had an incomparable role. ^[2]

Recently the union made continuous campaign demanding the ouster of Vice-Chancellor M. Abdul Salam and dismissal of the nominated Syndicate in the wake of the revelations of attempts to offer land to private agencies.^[3]

References

External links

• Google Books Result