Chennai Corporation workers’ union stages protest against privatisation of waste management
The Hindu
CITU members protest in Chennai, demanding govt. & civic body reverse decision to privatise waste mgmt. & increase min. wage of NULM workers. Over 500 protesters marched, blocked traffic & were detained. Union demands ₹26,000 min. wage & received assurance from Corporation.
The usually peaceful grounds of Ripon Building hosted a protest by members of the Chennai Corporation Red Flag Union -- CITU on Wednesday. Demanding that the government and civic body reverse their decision to privatise waste management in Royapuram and Thiru Vi Ka Nagar zones and increase the minimum wage of NULM (National Urban Livelihoods Mission) workers, the protesters chanted slogans as they waved CITU flags. This is arguably their largest protest in recent months.
Surrounded by police personnel, the protesters began their march from beside Ripon Building and continued till they were in front of the main gate and at one point, even blocked a lane of traffic. Protesters sat on the road and were eventually escorted by the police into waiting MTC buses to be taken to a nearby wedding hall for detainment. According to a union member, over 300 people were detained.
“The jobs of Dalit and lower income group workers are no longer permanent with the State government’s decision to privatise waste management work. The worker’s share of the salary is being given to a company, so what the workers end up receiving is much lower,” said Thiruvettai, C, state secretary, CITU.
Mr. Thiruvettai added that these protests were not isolated to Chennai but have been taking place or will take place in other parts of the State as well. The union is demanding that the Corporation directly pay a minimum monthly wage of ₹26,000 to the workers and has received the Corporation’s word that it would convey these objections to the State government.
The union had previously protested outside Amma Maligai and at a meeting chaired by Corporation officials to discuss the privatisation of waste in zones 5 and 6, but this is the largest demonstration in the city so far, with over 500 participants.
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