CHENNAI: Police have been deployed at the Ripon Building, the headquarters of the Greater Chennai Corporation, after reports that cleanliness workers, who were earlier arrested after a 13-day protest this month are planning to regroup on Friday, according to Thanthi TV.
The workers had begun their protest on August 1 against the Corporation’s decision to reclassify them as private contractors in the Royapuram and Thiru Vi Ka Nagar zones, fearing a reduction in their monthly salary from Rs 23,000 to Rs 16,000.
Their key demand is the abolition of the contract system.
After 13 consecutive days of protest, and following a Madras High Court order, hundreds of workers, including both men and women, were arrested around midnight on August 13 and detained at ten locations across the city.
They were released late on August 14, after being held for over 24 hours.
The Madras High Court later upheld the privatisation move and directed the civic body to ensure that temporary workers receive wages at least equal to, if not higher than, their last drawn pay.
(With inputs from Bureau)