In Chennai, protests were held at Guindy, Anna Salai, Tiruvottiyur, Ambattur, Tambaram and other locations, with police detaining protesters. In North Chennai, more than 500 people were arrested after CITU, AITUC, and the several unions staged a road blockade in Madhavaram as part of the Jail Bharo agitation.

The protesters raised a 20-point charter of demands, including withdrawal of the four labour codes, the Electricity Amendment Bill and the new hit-and-run provisions, besides demanding a minimum monthly wage of Rs 42,000 for workers. They also sought restoration of a job guarantee scheme providing 200 days of work at a daily wage of Rs 700, an integrated debt waiver for farmers and poor people, implementation of the Land Acquisition Act, and withdrawal of trade agreements that they said were against the interests of the country.

The unions further demanded an end to public-sector privatisation, stake sales and outsourcing, filling of vacant posts, creation of new jobs and universal social security for workers and street vendors. Restoration of the old pension scheme, increased allocations for public education and healthcare, and measures to control price rise were among the other demands.

Speaking to reporters, CITU state secretary V Kuppusamy accused the Union government of pursuing policies favouring private and foreign corporations at the expense of workers for more than 12 years. “The government is gradually replacing permanent employment with fixed-term jobs and is now dismantling labour protections won through decades of workers’ struggles,” he added. “The labour welfare laws are now reduced to four anti-worker labour codes. These were passed in Parliament despite opposition from trade unions and without any discussion.”

Similar protests were held in Kancheepuram, Chengalpattu, Coimbatore, Tirupur, Tiruvarur and Nagapattinam, where trade unions and farmers’ organisations sought to lay siege to Union government offices.