CHENNAI: After the completion of the Lok Sabha polls, the trade unions in the state transport undertakings have revived protests urging the state government to fulfil their long pending demands including compensation for the losses suffered by the corporations and prompt payment of retirement benefits.
The CITU-led Tamil Nadu State Transport Employees Federation has called for a 24-hour fasting from June 24 at 10 am while the AITUC has launched a signature campaign in this regard.
According to the union sources, their demand remains unfulfilled even after they held a strike on January 9 and 10 insisting on a six-point-charter of demands.
After the Madras High Court suggested that the passengers travelling for the Pongal holidays should not face hardships, the strike was called off. However, the negotiations held by the labour commissioner failed to find a solution to their issue.
The CITU-led union has planned to hold 24-hour fasting at 100 centres demanding the state government to allocate funds for the losses suffered by the transport corporation which provides the cheapest public transport service, providing retirement benefits for the workers who were waiting for 18 months and commencement of talks for 15 wage settlement agreement immediately.
The AITUC-led union launched a state-wide signature campaign on Monday seeking the attention of the chief minister on various demands including filling up of vacancies, dearness allowance hike for retired employees and wage settlement talks said AITUC union general secretary R Arumugham.
It may be noted that Transport Minister SS Sivasankar told reporters recently that the DA hike for the retired employees would be considered the financial situation of the transport corporations.