MADURAI: Over 200 sanitary workers affiliated with CITU, LPF, and LLF launched an indefinite sit-in protest on the corporation headquarters on Monday, pressing various demands, including regularisation of service.
As the talks failed, all of them were removed by police late in the evening.
CITU sanitation workers’ association general secretary M Balasubramanian said the state government cited HC order to evict protesting sanitation workers in Chennai recently, but has not yet implemented a Madurai Bench order issued in 2022 to regularise services of 389 sanitation workers in Madurai.
Condemning the manner in which police handled workers in Chennai, Balasubramanian said there are over 2.5 lakh sanitary workers in the state, but only 50,000 are employed permanently, and the rest are contract or daily wage workers. He said the government should have taken steps over the years to regularise at least a section of these workers.
Recalling that workers affiliated with CITU, LPF, and LFF had earlier launched an indefinite strike and withdrawn three days later after the corporation assured action. But neither the corporation nor the government has acted yet, they said. Outlining their demands, Balasubramanian said,
“The contract with the private company handling solid waste management must be terminated, as workers face ill treatment, and due to its inefficiency, the city has been ranked one of the dirtiest in the country. The corporation is capable of managing solid waste.”
He further sought salary hike, Deepavali bonus, and other welfare benefits. The workers also warned that the number of protestors would grow in the coming days if the state government continues to ignore their demand.
Meanwhile, corporation officials clarified that only a few trade unions had joined the protest, while others continued with routine work.
They also said there was no disruption in solid waste management. Multiple peace talks were carried out by the corporation officials but the protest continued. Police have also been deployed in the venue. Later, they were detained on Monday night.