Chennai sanitation workers end 16-day strike, key demands deferred

CHENNAI: Sanitation workers who have been sitting on a protest at the Ripon building for the past 16 days temporarily suspended their strike on Friday after their talks with four ministers and Greater Chennai Corporation officials resulted in agreements on a string of workplace and welfare demands.

However, the issues that formed the centre of the agitation — permanent employment, paid weekly leave and higher daily wages — have been kept aside for the next round of talks scheduled for October 3.

The decision to call off the strike came hours after ministers N Anand, Aadhav Arjuna, Rajmohan and R NirmalKumar met hundreds of protesting workers at the corporation headquarters. The delegation persuaded the workers to give the government time to address their demands. "We will discuss and do whatever can be done. You don't worry at all," Anand told the workers.

Aadhav pointed to the previous regime’s extensive outsourcing of government responsibilities as one of the difficulties in immediately bringing contract workers under the regular establishment.

"We have temporarily withdrawn the protest and are awaiting talks with the CM," said K Bharathi, state president of UUI.

The government agreed to provide the workers with daily food allowance of Rs 50 from October 1, 200 toilets for women workers across wards by September 30, and withdrawal of criminal cases filed against those who had fought for sanitation workers’ rights during the previous government's tenure.

The government also agreed to set up a sanitation workers' welfare board office within the Chennai corporation premises, with an officer to be appointed. Officers will meet sanitation workers every two months, while the GCC commissioner will hold discussions with the workers' unions every four months. The Uzhaippor Urimai Iyakkam will also be given a union office.

A total of 160 new BOV vehicles in zones 4, 7 and 8, and jobs and death compensation to the next of kin of sanitation workers who die in service were also agreed upon.

Meanwhile, permanent employment, paid weekly leave, maternity leave, menstrual leave and the demand for a daily wage of Rs 832, the rate fixed by the district collector for unskilled workers, will be taken up in the next round of talks.