Local labourers protest employing of guest workers

TIRUCHY: Members from construction unions staged a protest in Thanjavur on Thursday claiming that the ‘invasion’ of North Indian labourers had left them unemployed and demanded to give priority to local workers.

According to the protesting members, the guest workers were not only involved in construction field but also in agricultural activities in the Delta region resulting in unemployment to the local workers. They claimed that the local contractors intentionally avoid local workers and involve the guest workers in the construction works for paying low wages.

They said, despite these guest workers having no knowledge in the work, they were entertain by local people. There were more than 1,000 guest workers involved in several fields in the district. The protesting members claimed that the number of guest workers have been increasing year by year and so the livelihood of the local workers were affected.

The union members assembled on Adirampattinam-Pattukkottai Main Road and blocked vehicle movement. On information, the Adirampattinam police rushed to the spot and held talks with the agitating members. The protestors have decided to meet the Collector and submit a petition in this regard. Traffic was disrupted for over an hour on Adirampattinam-Pattukkottai Main Road due to their proest.