CHENNAI: The All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC), demanding that the Tamil Nadu government withdraw its move to privatise the operation of electric buses, has called for a statewide protest across all state-run transport corporations on August 5 (Tuesday).
R Arumugham, general secretary, Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation Employees Federation (AITUC), insisted that electric buses must be operated by the State's transport undertakings rather than being handed over to private companies. He warned that privatisation would undermine public accountability and workers' rights, and weaken the public transport system.
The AITUC also urged the government to revoke its decision to permit private operators to run mini-bus services to remote villages, demanding that these routes be brought under the public transport network.
Other demands include the direct recruitment of staff in place of contract appointments, filling of 30,000 vacancies in the transport sector to create employment opportunities for the youth, and rectifying pay disparities between senior and junior employees under the existing wage agreement.
The union further called for the immediate settlement of retirement benefits for employees who retired from July 2023 onwards, as well as the release of withheld Dearness Allowance (DA) arrears for pensioners, following the Madras High Court’s order.