Noon meal workers stage ‘call attention’ protest in Krishnagiri

Tamil Nadu Noon Meal Workers Association protests for better pay, benefits, and working conditions outside Collectorate.

Tamil Nadu Noon Meal Workers Association staged a demonstration over a raft of demands here outside the Collectorate on Friday. The protesters gathered at the district headquarters to “call attention” of the Chief Minister to their grievances.

The association demanded filling up of vacancies on a “war-footing”. The protesters demanded that the Chief Minister fulfil his electoral promise of providing a scale of pay for the workers akin to the government staff and also an assured pension upon retirement.

The protesters also called for appointment of noon-meal staff in various vacancies in any government department. Their other main demands included compassionate employment to male heirs of deceased workers; maternity leave with 12 month pay to women noon-mean workers akin to that government staff.

The noon-meal workers also demanded promotion and increments for workers upon completion of 10/20/30 years of employment. The association also called for lifting of restrictive audit rules levied upon spoilt goods rolled out during COVID. Lastly, the protesters demanded full compensation of retirement benefits on the day of retirement.