Over 400 cleanliness workers protest inside Ripon building

CHENNAI: More than 400 cleanliness workers affiliated with the Uzhaipor Urimai Iyakkam (UUI) staged a protest inside the Ripon building campus on Tuesday (August 25) evening, demanding permission to hold a peaceful two-hour demonstration daily on the premises.

The protest followed a dispute over access to the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) headquarters.

Workers said that they had been granted permission by GCC Commissioner GS Sameeran during a meeting with School Education Minister at Kalaivanar Arangam on Monday (August 24).

However, when they arrived at the Ripon building on Tuesday, police blocked the gates.

According to the workers, they attempted to approach the Commissioner to seek clarification, but the main gate was closed again.

Protesters then pushed open the gate and entered the campus, where they continued their demonstration.

Speaking to DT Next, union member K Suresh said that the workers were not seeking to cause inconvenience to the police and were willing to hold a peaceful protest near the east gate, close to Victoria Hall.

“We only want permission to hold a two-hour attention-seeking protest inside the campus, where other unions had gathered earlier,” he added.

Workers also alleged that they had been unable to stage protests at different locations as the police had detained them whenever they assembled.

The UUI has submitted an 11-point charter of demands, including extending one-year maternity leave for women cleanliness workers having a third child and providing menstrual leave to local body and rural school workers.

It has also sought an increase in the daily wage from Rs 751 to Rs 832, reinstatement of 13 workers among the 1,400 workers whom the Corporation had earlier agreed to take back, office space for the union and a food allowance.

Workers said that 7 more demands, including permanent jobs for contractual cleanliness workers, a weekly day off, quality housing with basic amenities, withdrawal of the Supreme Court case challenging HC orders in favour of cleanliness workers, and withdrawal of criminal cases filed against workers and their leaders during the 2025 protests, had not been considered.