Tamil Nadu government agrees to consider four demands, cleanliness workers to continue protest over remaining 7

CHENNAI: School Education Minister A Rajmohan on Monday (August 24) held talks with protesting Greater Chennai Corporation cleanliness workers represented by Uzhaippor Urimai Iyakkam (UUI) president K Bharathi at Kalaivanar Arangam over their 11-point charter of demands and agreed to consider four demands, including wage revision and food allowance.

After the meeting, Bharathi told reporters that the government had agreed to consider demands relating to maternity leave, wage revision, a union office, and food allowance.

Earlier in the day, more than 300 cleanliness workers, who marched towards the Secretariat seeking to meet Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay, were detained by police near the Madras High Court. During the Assembly proceedings, Rajmohan said talks would be held with the union president.

The workers have been staging protests for the fifth consecutive day.

Speaking to DT Next after the meeting, Bharathi said the minister had agreed to consider extending one-year maternity leave for a third child to all women cleanliness workers and menstrual leave for local body and rural school workers.

He also said the government had agreed to consider revising the daily wage from Rs 751 to Rs 832.

Bharathi said the government had also agreed to immediately reinstate 13 workers among the 1,400 workers whom the Greater Chennai Corporation had earlier agreed to take back.

The demand for office space for the union would also be considered, he said.

However, the workers will continue their peaceful protest seeking fulfilment of the remaining demands, including regularisation of contract workers, a weekly off and quality housing facilities.

“We will stage a protest at Ripon Building in this regard,” Bharathi said.