More than 10 transport trade unions have gone on a sit-in protest across the city and State, paralysing bus transport on Wednesday morning.
A member of the CITU trade union said that the sit-in protest was to demand that the State government call in the Federation of Transport Trade Unions for wage agreement talks.
While the State Transport Department had issued a press release announcing March 20 as the date for the first round of wage agreement talks to be held between transport officials and trade unions at the Chromepet bus depot, the trade union federation members in a press release had stated that the State government should invite them for talks. The union member said that as Transport Department officials were not willing to heed to their various demands, protests are being held in various depots across the State.
The protest by the drivers and conductors attached to various Opposition unions has resulted in commuters facing severe hardships. M. Anand, a resident of Medavakkam, said there were a limited number of Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC) buses being operated on the Tambaram route resulting in commuters being forced to depend on share autorickshaws, as the buses were all jam packed during the morning rush hour.
A senior official of MTC, denying that only a limited number of buses were plying, said more than 2,500 buses were being operated from various depots.
Long-distance buses including those belonging to the State Express Transport Corporation were not operated from the Dr. MGR bus terminus in Koyambedu.
