The Secondary Grade Teachers' Association (SGTA) has called for an indefinite hunger strike from December 27 to protest the DMK (Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam) government's failure to provide 'equal pay for equal work.' Teachers appointed after June 1, 2009 are earning Rs 8,000 per month, while those appointed before May 31 in the same year earn Rs 11,170 per month, according to association members. 

"Secondary grade teachers, who were appointed after June 2009, are being betrayed for the past 12 years as they are not provided salary on par with those working under the central government or even their colleagues who were appointed before May that year. With the implementation of recommendations of successive pay commissions, the salary gap has widened even further. The Supreme Court through several judgments has stated that equal pay should be provided for equal work," said a statement from the association stated a report on The New Indian Express.

When the association went on an indefinite hunger strike in 2018 to press for the same demand, Chief Minister MK Stalin, who was then the leader of the opposition, promised that their demands would be met if the DMK came to power, they shared. Their demands were also included in DMK's election manifesto, according to the members. 

After repeated requests to School Education Minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi and higher-level department, officials went unanswered, the association has declared an indefinite hunger strike beginning December 27. "A regional meeting of the association to review preparations for the protest was held on Sunday and another preparatory meeting will be organised in Karur on December 11," they added, as reported by The New Indian Express.