Chennai: Another union joins protest as GCC cleanliness workers’ agitation enters 13th day

CHENNAI: The agitation by NUML cleanliness workers and other contract workers demanding job permanency entered its 13th day on Thursday (September 3), with the Madras Corporation Red Flag Union joining the protest led by the Uzhaippor Urimai Iyakkam (Workers' Rights Movement), affiliated to LTUC-AICCTU.

Around 50 workers gathered at the Ripon Building on Thursday, pressing the State government and Greater Chennai Corporation to scrap the contract system and make them permanent employees.

They are also demanding timely payment of salaries, paid weekly leave, and social security benefits.

Maheswari (56), who has been working as a NULM worker for nine years, said the demand was not merely about job security but about basic employment rights, particularly salary and leave.

The lack of leave has become a major grievance among workers. Anandhi (51) questioned why workers performing essential civic duties were being denied even the basic right to take leave, asking whether they were not entitled to the same consideration as other workers.

The unions have also demanded that NULM, SHG, sanitation, malaria, computer assistant, and other contract workers be paid their monthly wages by the fifth of every month and be given weekly leave with pay.

They also sought payment of arrears from 2017 in accordance with GO (2D) No 62 and implementation of the revised dearness allowance-linked wages from April 1, along with arrears.

Other demands include uniforms in adequate quantities, payment of earned-leave benefits in the same month in which they are sanctioned, restoration of the old pension scheme, and immediate settlement of retirement benefits.

The agitation had intensified earlier this week when sanitation workers entered the Ripon Building during a flash protest.