Sanitation Workers Continue Protest at Ripon Buildings Awaiting Talks with CM

Sanitation workers led by the Uzhaippor Urimai Iyakkam continued their demonstration for the seventh consecutive day at the Ripon Buildings premises on Wednesday, demanding welfare measures and a meeting with Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay.

The demonstration proceeded even as the Greater Chennai Corporation assured the union that 13 workers who were excluded from a previous reinstatement drive would be taken back into service, likely by Thursday. The workers stated that their peaceful agitation would continue at the civic headquarters until Saturday while they await a scheduled discussion with the chief minister.

The dispute traces back to last year, when sanitary workers launched a major protest against the outsourcing of garbage collection. Following that agitation, the municipal corporation assured the Madras High Court that it would reinstate the workers. Around 1,400 workers were subsequently reinstated in February, but 13 individuals were left out of the process.

K Suresh, state secretary of the LTUC, said that School Education Minister A Rajmohan assured the union that arrangements would be made for sanitation staff to meet the chief minister. Suresh noted that the peaceful demonstration would continue through Saturday, after which the agitation could intensify if their demands remained unresolved.

The union has placed multiple demands before the state government. These include the regularisation of jobs, revision of the daily wage to Rs 832 in accordance with rates fixed by the Chennai collector, maternity and menstrual leave, housing facilities for workers, and office space for the Uzhaippor Urimai Iyakkam.

Minister Rajmohan held talks with worker representatives on Monday. According to the union, the minister agreed that most of their demands were reasonable, with the exception of job regularisation, and promised to arrange a meeting with the chief minister following further discussions.

The demonstration on Wednesday took place without incident between 4 pm and 6 pm. This followed a commotion on Tuesday between workers and police personnel after protesters alleged they were being blocked from staging their demonstration at the Ripon Buildings, an allegation the police denied.