Why are transport workers protesting?

The union workers have accused the state government of neglecting their demands. Apart from the signing of the 15th wage revision agreement to increase pay, the workers have also demanded the government fill up the vacancies for bus drivers and conductors. In addition to this, their demands also includes releasing the dearness allowance (DA) of ₹6,000 per month for the retired workers, which has been on hold since last eight years.

Who are the workers on strike in Tamil Nadu?

The workers affiliated with the major unions–Centre of Indian Trade Union (CITU), All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC), and Anna Thozhir Sanga Peravai (ATSP), among others–are part of the strike.

Meanwhile, in the Tirunelveli district, all the buses left the workshops for Madurai, Kanyakumari, Tenkasi, Thoothukudi, Tiruchendur, Rajapalayam, and Sankarankovil and are running as usual. There are 898 buses in Government Transport Tirunelveli Zone, including 7 depots in Tirunelveli district, 7 depots in Thoothukudi district and 4 depots in Tenkasi district.

Moreover, the government has appointed monitoring officers, who are monitoring the operation of all the buses as per the schedule. Police have also been stationed in front of all workshops and bus depots for security in Tirunelveli district.

As the Transport Union strike continued today, Centre of Indian Trade Union (CITU) State president A. Soundararajan said, “…They are playing politics in support of their party. We are doing the same thing we did earlier. Where is the politics? It is only to divert the people… If he (the transport minister) says that many buses are plying, then why is he calling us for talks and asking us to return to duty… What we’ll do tomorrow will be decided later.”