Cleanliness workers blow whistles at Ripon building, seek job permanency

CHENNAI: Whistles rang out at the Ripon Building campus on Thursday (August 27) as more than 250 cleanliness workers intensified their protest, demanding job permanency and better working conditions.

Organised by the Uzhaipor Urimai Iyakkam (UUI), the demonstration marked the second phase of an agitation that entered its eighth day.

Workers said key demands, including permanent employment, paid maternity leave, weekly off-days, and a food allowance, had not received adequate attention from the government led by CM Vijay.

The protest gained further momentum following the reinstatement of 12 cleanliness workers in the Tondiarpet zone after a wait of nearly a year. The reinstated workers worked across several wards in the zone.

Speaking to DT Next, R Uma said she was jobless for over a year and forced to rely on private loans to cover basic expenses.

“While several others returned to work earlier this year, I struggled to pay my siblings’ college fees and house rent. After several months, I finally got my job back,” she said.

Uma added that she joined the protest immediately after finishing her first shift. “I am married and do not have a child yet. Paid maternity leave would be immensely helpful for many women like me,” she said.

Protesters said the whistle-blowing action was aimed at drawing the immediate attention of the Chief Minister and GCC officials to their long-pending demands.