Sanitary workers pause 16-day strike till Oct 3

Chennai: The 16-day strike by the sanitary workers here has been temporarily paused till October 3 following negotiations with Tamil Nadu ministers on Friday leading to initial agreement on several demands. The union representatives said they were hopeful of an amicable solution during the second round of talks scheduled for October 3, on several other issues.

Following the first negotiation, which lasted for two hours at the Ripon Building - headquarters of the Greater Chennai Corporation - between the protesting leaders and Ministers: N Anand (Rural Development and Water Resources), Aadhav Arjuna (Public Works and Sports Development), R Nirmal Kumar (Energy Resources and Law) and A Rajmohan (School Education), besides officials, Rajmohan announced that around 8 to 10 immediate demands of the sanitary workers including the withdrawal of protest-related legal cases against them, have been met.

“The talks were elaborate and fruitful,” Rajmohan told reporters briefing on the outcome of the successful negotiation today. He said the government pledged to improve basic facilities for workers, such as rest areas and restrooms, with progress to be monitored weekly basis. There would be a regular dialogues - every two months - to avoid future conflicts.

Rather than providing direct meals, the government has agreed to provide a food allowance of Rs 50 starting next month to support the workers’ preferences and personal needs. Also, the government acknowledged the workers’ right to a union office and has promised to complete an audit and site assessment to facilitate this request, he said.

It has been agreed to provide restrooms and break facilities for female sanitation workers in all the 200 wards in the city by September 30. A meeting with chief minister C Joseph Vijay will take place after the upcoming follow-up meeting scheduled for October 3.

“During the meeting, the officials identified two primary issues - administrative hurdles and financial constraints - regarding permanent employment. We are committed to resolving them through dialogue rather than confrontation,” Rajmohan said and added that these two factors are not considered “unsolvable.”

Some of the crucial decisions taken today include: dropping all the legal cases filed against the sanitation workers during their protest, providing 160 new vehicles within a month to replace old or malfunctioning ones in zones 4, 7, and 8, additionally, raincoats will be provided by October 10, along with a commitment to supply daily masks and weekly gloves.

The government committed to establishing an office to facilitate the immediate disbursement of compensation to the families of deceased sanitation workers. Some of the pending demands such as weekly holidays, maternity leave, menstrual leave, and the implementation of a collector-rate wage of Rs 832 are set to be discussed in the next round of talks.

The union leaders expressed optimism, stating that the government promised “good news” in the upcoming October 3 meeting and assured them of an opportunity to meet the chief minister. The workers are demanding a wage hike, a minimum monthly salary of Rs 25,000, regularisation of contract workers, weekly holidays, leave benefits and menstrual leave for women workers. The workers had staged a similar protest during the previous DMK government and were promised that their grievances would be addressed after the elections. Led by the Uzhaippor Urimai Iyakkam and supported by several trade unions, hundreds of contract and National Urban Livelihood Mission conservancy workers have been protesting over their long-pending demands and working conditions. They are also opposing the Greater Chennai Corporation’s move to privatise solid waste management in certain zones of the city.

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