Karur cleanliness workers protest bonus cut

TIRUCHY: Contract cleanliness workers at Pallapatti Municipality in Karur district staged a sit-in protest on Saturday, demanding that their Deepavali bonus be restored to last year's Rs 1,500 after it was reduced to Rs 1,000 this year.

As many as 65 workers engaged through a private firm collect garbage door to door in the municipality. The workers, who were informed that the reduced bonus would be disbursed on Saturday, boycotted work and staged a protest on the municipality premises.

Rural Development Workers Union district president M Subramanian presided over the protest and spoke about the wage distribution. The workers also raised slogans against the municipal administration, demanding the restoration of the previous year's bonus.

Following the protest, the Municipal Commissioner visited the spot and assured the workers that their demand would be discussed with the private firm and that steps would be taken to resolve the issue by Tuesday.

The workers dispersed following the assurance but warned that they would resume the protest on Tuesday if their demand was not met