Tamil Nadu Transport Workers' Strike Continues on the Fifth Day

Amidst the Tamil Nadu government’s failed attempts to negotiate with the striking transport workers, the Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation (TNSTC) workers entered the fifth day of the indefinite strike demanding their rights. Following the adamant stand of the government, nearly 17 trade unions have given an indefinite strike call on January 4.

Under the banner of different trade unions including Centre of Indian Trade Union (CITU), Labour Progressive Federation etc., thousands of workers began the indefinite strike since January 4 evening as the talks on the 13th wage agreement failed.

The trade unions and workers demanded that the salary circulation should be increased by three times; the government was not ready to meet their demands. Eventually, they settled for an increase of 2.57 times of their existing salaries. But the government stood firm on 2.40.

Along with the demand of making their wages at par with other government employees, the workers were also demanding dues which are pending. Rs 7,000 crores of workers’ money, deductions made towards PF, credit society, etc, has been spent by the transport corporations. When the unions asked to return Rs 7,000 crores, the government proposed that Rs 1,000 crores be pumped in every year to settle dues.

The unions demanded a minimum wage of Rs.19,500, but the government offered only Rs.17,700. In the case of Grade Pay, the unions urged the government to reduce the difference in grade pay between transport workers and other public sector workers, while the government had not addressed the issue. For pensioners, unions demanded that PF and pension should be distributed as per the agreement and PF Act for all workers who have been confirmed after April 1, 2003, while the government was not ready for any kind of dialogues in this matter.

On January 4, in Pallavan House depot in Chennai, the protesting workers who had come to buses at the depot were threatened by Anna Thozhillalar Peravai (ATP), a union affiliated to ruling All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), members and party cadres, Thozilalar Koodam reported.

As the protest progresses, Tamil Nadu transport minister M. R. Vijayabhaskar has termed the strike as “politically motivated” one, but the unions demand the government to be fair to them.

While the government has said that the TNSTC is in “debt”, A. Soundararajan, a CITU leader from Tamil Nadu, pointed out that it is the government's misrule that that is to be blamed for the debt. By giving this excuse, the government is trying to discredit the genuine demands of the workers, he added.

Citing one of the many examples of the government’s misrule, Soundararajan said that the students in the state are entitled to get concessions in the TNSTC buses. For that, the education department has to afford the expenses. However, the department pays only 56% of the expenses to transport department.

“We will continue the protest till meeting our genuine demands”, Soundararajan added.

Mentioning the plans of the government to celebrate the centenary birthday of late MGR, Sundararajan asked: “the AIADMK government is spending crores for the centenary birthday celebrations of late MGR, but why don’t they have money to meet the genuine demands of workers.”