CHENNAI: The ongoing protest by transport unions turned violent on Friday as the members attacked vehicles on Pallavan Salai, forcing the police to close the stretch for traffic for a few hours.
Despite participation of hundreds of workers, the protest was peaceful for the last two days. But on Friday evening, it turned violent as a section of the protesters were upset that government officials would hold talks with them over the issue only after the December 21 RK Nagar bypoll.
Stones were pelted at an MTC bus and other vehicles plying on the road. After the police blocked traffic on the road, the workers smashed plastic chairs on the road. Bus services in the city were also impacted by the protest. While union leaders claimed that only 30 per cent of buses plied in the city, MTC officials said that over 75 per cent were operated.
Finally, the unions decided to withdraw the protest and participate in the talks called by the government for December 26 and 27.
“The workers have been fighting for more than four years on issues such as clearing of arrears, salary hike, annual increment and insurance money,” said the secretary of the Labour Progressive Federation, A Natarajan.
“The MTC owes us more than `6,000 crore which they have deducted from our salaries to pay our insurance and PF. Recently they said the money would never be paid to us. That was why we started the protest,” said CITU leader Manikandan.