A group of representatives of teacher trade unions handed over a letter to the United Nations today pertaining to issues faced by them.
Addressing the gathering, Secretary of the Ceylon Teachers’ Union, Joseph Stalin said a special intergovernmental conference adopted the UNESCO recommendation concerning the Status of Teachers on the 05th October 1966 in Paris.
He said many recommendations were set out in this agreement pertaining to the employment of teachers adding Article 114 speaks of teachers’ salaries.
The Union Secretary said if the Lankan government signed the declaration, they are responsible to provide teachers adequate wages.
He said the declaration states that teachers’ salaries should reflect the importance to society of the teaching function and provide teachers with the means to ensure a reasonable standard of living and salary structure should be planned so as not to give rise to injustices or anomalies tending to lead to friction between different groups of teachers.
Stalin said the present administration has delayed providing a solution over three Cabinet meetings adding they are awaiting a response following today’s meeting.
