Several transport trade unions led by the Labour Progressive Front (LPF) organised a massive protest putting forth various demands at the Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation headquarters located in Vellore on Monday.
A large number of members of the LPF, which is a labour wing of the DMK, along with transport workers of other trade unions, including the CITU, AITUC, HMF, MLF and AALLF, participated in the protest.
The protesters holding placards raised slogans against the State government and the Transport Department. LPF trade union leader Balakrishnan said the Federation of State Transport Unions has been requesting the State government to initiate talks for wage revision from September 2019 since the wage agreement period had expired over 15 months ago. However the State Transport Department has failed to take any steps for conducting wage revision talks.
The members of the transport unions stressing the failure of the Transport Department to hold talks have been organising several protests but to no avail. The protesters said while all these years the State government had been giving 20% bonus, this year without hearing the views of the transport trade unions, it has taken a decision and announced a bonus of 10% only.
The protesting workers also put forth other demands to be fulfilled by the Transport Department, including taking back the bonus announcement of 10% and paying full 20% bonus immediately. Also, the protesters wanted the festival advance amount of ₹10,000 to be paid and steps to be taken for initiating talks for signing the 14th wage agreement.
The protest was organised by the Federation of Transport trade unions.
