17 hours ago
Conservancy workers continue their protest for second day, boycott work
Conservancy workers of Madurai Corporation, who were arrested on Monday night, resumed their protest on Tuesday morning and boycotted work.
Their primary demands are: confirmation of 389 workers as permanent employees and cancellation of the contract of sanitation work awarded to a private company that allegedly ill-treats workers.
Over 1,000 workers affiliated to the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) squatted in protest at Anna Maligai on Monday. Their other demands included payment of incentive of ₹15,000 promised during the COVID-19 pandemic.
CITU general secretary M. Balasubramaniam said the peaceful protest was interrupted by the police and led to forcible detention of the agitators. 'Though the protest for the livelihood of the workers did not affect the public in any way, they (police) decided to prevent the workers from expressing their grievance in front of the public and the media,' he added.
However, the workers refused to resume duty and continued their protest at the same venue on Tuesday morning, he said. 'Following an assurance by the Corporation officials to hold talks with the contract firm in the presence of Labour Welfare Department officials, we dispersed the protest,' he said.
S. Boominathan of the sanitation workers welfare wing of the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), condemning the Corporation and the contract firm for not attending the meeting with the Labour Welfare Department officials, said this was done to avoid answering questions from workers.
'The meeting intended to discuss the issues of workers and to find a solution to end them could not be continued due to the absence of key stakeholders,' he added.
Demanding their presence, Mr. Boominathan said they boycotted the meeting. 'The officials said the meeting would be convened again on Wednesday in the presence of Labour Welfare Department officials, Corporation officials, and the contract firm,' he added.
Till then, the workers would not return to work. To once again emphasise their demand, the conservancy workers will stage a protest in front of the Collectorate on Wednesday, Mr. Boominathan added.
