CHENNAI: Opposition leaders on Sunday urged the State government to hold negotiations with the transport workers’ unions and bring the ongoing strike to an end.
DMK president M Karunanidhi alleged that the State government refused to hold talks with the Labourers Progress Front, affiliated to the DMK because after it became the recognised union of government transport workers polling about 57 per cent votes in the union elections.
According to a high court order, the LPF would function as the recognised union till October 5, 2015.
The State government did not come forward to hold talks with the LPF despite the existing wage agreement ending on August 31, 2013, he claimed.
The unions had given notice to the government on December 5 itself as the talks for wage revision were not held, he added.
PMK founder S Ramadoss recalled that during the previous strike in 2001, the government had arrested 50,000 workers and suspended 5,000 of them.
He urged the government to hold talks to end the strike that has thrown normal life out of gear.
MDMK leader Vaiko, VCK’s Thol Thirumavalavan, the CPM and the CPI too sought early end to the strike.