Transport workers’ unions in Tamil Nadu have declared an indefinite bus strike starting Tuesday, just ahead of the Pongal festival holidays. The unions, including major ones like Centre of Indian Trade Union (CITU), All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC), and Anna Thozhir Sanga Peravai (ATSP), allege that the state government has ignored their demands.
The unions had presented a list of demands, including the signing of the 15th wage revision agreement to increase pay, filling vacancies in bus driver and conductor positions, and releasing dearness allowances (DA) of Rs 6000 per month for retired workers that have not been paid for the last eight years.
Despite the strike call, the Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC) buses, the sole bus operator in the city, continued to operate. According to MTC officials, a total of 2,098 buses were in operation against the normal operation of 2,025 buses.
Tamil Nadu Transport Minister SS Sivasankar labeled the strike as a ‘political move’ and urged transport officials to ensure smooth operations during the festive season. He emphasized the need to function on special buses during Pongal and stated that the strike would adversely affect the public.
The Minister expressed his viewpoint, saying, “For political reasons, such protests are a diversion. This is Pongal time. We need to function on special buses. This time such a strike would affect the public. DMK always works for the benefits of transport workers. DMK has fulfilled many promises. Even in the six demands, we are just asking for time.”
In response, the DMK-affiliated Labour Progressive Federation (LPF) Union called the strike politically motivated by AIADMK and requested all workers to operate buses. LPF, which shares the same demands, highlighted that the DMK government is gradually fulfilling each demand and urged workers to consider the public’s well-being.
“LPF also has the same demands. DMK government is fulfilling each demand one by one. By keeping the goodwill of the public in mind and also to break the AIADMK political motivation, it is being requested to run all the buses normally,” stated LPF Secretary and MP Shanmugam in a released statement.
Comments