Ministers Meet Protesting Chennai Sanitation Workers at Ripon Building

A team of Tamil Nadu government ministers scheduled talks with protesting sanitation workers on Friday at the Ripon Building, the headquarters of the Greater Chennai Corporation, in an effort to resolve an agitation that has entered its 15th day.

The ministerial delegation participating in the negotiations includes Rural Development and Water Resources Minister N Anand, Public Works and Sports Development Minister Aadhav Arjuna, Energy Resources and Law Minister R Nirmal Kumar, and School Education Minister A Rajmohan.

Hundreds of contract workers and National Urban Livelihood Mission conservancy workers, led by the Uzhaippor Urimai Iyakkam and backed by multiple trade unions, have been demonstrating over working conditions and longstanding demands. Key among their grievances is the demand for a wage hike, a minimum monthly salary of Rs 25,000, regularisation of contract staff, weekly holidays, leave benefits, and menstrual leave for women workers. The workers are also opposing moves by the Greater Chennai Corporation to privatise solid waste management across certain zones of the city.

Sanitation workers had previously staged a similar agitation during the earlier DMK administration, during which they were promised their grievances would be resolved following elections.

The strike became a focal point in the Tamil Nadu Assembly during its session on September 2, prompting sharp exchanges between the treasury and opposition benches. Leader of the Opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin of the DMK moved a call-attention motion, pressing the government on why formal talks had not yet been initiated with the protesting workers.

In response during the session, School Education Minister Rajmohan stated that files concerning the workers' eight-point charter of demands were already before the Chief Minister. He also remarked that a previous demonstration under the DMK regime had persisted for nearly 150 days in 2025 without government intervention, leading Udhayanidhi to question whether the present administration intended to wait equally long before acting.