Talks fail, cleanliness workers’ protest continues in Chennai

CHENNAI: Negotiations between State ministers and the Left Trade Union Centre (LTUC) over the demands of NULM cleanliness workers failed on Wednesday, with the union vowing to continue their protest.

LTUC members accused State representatives of focusing only on removing the protesters rather than addressing their demands. “Until the State accepts our demands, we will not step down from our stand or move away from the protest site,” said LTUC president Bharathi.

Meanwhile, Municipal Administration and Water Supply Department minister KN Nehru left from Ripon Building to meet Chief Minister MK Stalin to discuss further action.

The workers are opposing the Greater Chennai Corporation’s move to reclassify them as private contractors in Royapuram and Thiru Vi Ka Nagar zones. They fear this will cut their monthly pay from Rs 23,000 to Rs 16,000. Their main demand is to end the contract system.

The protest, now in its 13th day outside Ripon Building on EVR Periyar Salai, has drawn support from several political leaders, including DMK allies Congress, CPM, CPI, and VCK, as well as AIADMK and AMMK. Actor and TVK president Vijay also invited the workers to his party headquarters in Panaiyur. CPI state secretary R Mutharasan called the workers’ demands “neither unreasonable nor unfeasible.”