The federation of trade unions in the district comprising LPF, CITU, AITUC, INTUC, HMS have urged the State to include representatives from approved trade unions as members in the unorganised sector welfare boards and reconstitute them.
The trade union members staged an agitation in front of the Collectorate on Wednesday. The agitation was led by Pon Sundar (LPF), M P Ramachandran (CITU), S R Devadas (AITUC), R Govidasamy (INTUC) and Tirupathi (HMS).
Ramachandran said the norms for membersship had changed at present. The members had to go to the board in person and produce certificates from the revenue officer/VAO to vouch for their membership. This norm has to be rolled back, he added. He said many petitions to the board seeking welfare assistance such as educational scholarship and housing were pending since 2008 and should be cleared immediately.
The other demands included hiking welfare assistances, disbursement of the assistance through cheques and prevention of middlemen in the affairs of the board.