TN Bus strike: DMK urges EPS to initiate talks with transport staff

Chennai: The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) working president M.K Stalin on Sunday urged Tamil Nadu">Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami to initiate talks with transport employees and take suitable actions to end the ongoing strike in the state.

"DMK demands that Tamil Nadu">Tamil Nadu CM must immediately initiate talks with the striking transporters and take suitable actions in this regard. The entire opposition of the state wants this," Stalin said addressing the media on the fourth day of strike by the Transport workers' unions.

Stalin added that he spoke to EPS on phone and "stressed his demand of initiating talks."

As the strike by the Transport workers' unions in Tamil Nadu">Tamil Nadu continued for the fourth day, the transport department has roped in temporary drivers to resume services in the state.

Commuters in the state are having trouble reaching their destinations and have to pay double fair.

On its third day, Tamil Nadu">Tamil Nadu Transport Minister M.R. Vijayabhaskar appealed to bus employees to return to work.

Scores of commuters were left stranded in Koyambedu bus terminal of Chennai as an indefinite strike by the transport workers' unions in Tamil Nadu">Tamil Nadu continued.

Drivers and conductors of various state transport corporations are demanding wage hike among other things.

The strike, following the failure of talks on wage revision and clearance of pending dues with Transport Minister M.R. Vijayabhaskar, was declared on Thursday.

Transport workers have been demanding for a pay revision to Rs 30,000.

However, the authorities have only agreed to pay Rs. 24,400.