Tamil Nadu bus strike: State-run buses off the roads after talks over pay hike fail

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‘Political motives’ behind strike

Transport Minister SS Sivasankar said the demands will be met in due course when the financial situation of the state improves. He alleged the strike call had “political motives” and would cause hindrance to the public and warned of appropriate action if warranted.

The minister said that in view of the Pongal festival on 15 January, he said 19,484 buses (including special buses) will be run to cater to the needs of the public.

The services from 12 to 14 January, will cover various destinations and points of origin across the state. After the festival, 17,589 special buses will be operated from 16 to 18 January.

Asked about claims that buses will ply as usual, CITU leader A Soundararajan said the government may attempt to run a skeleton service. Authorities are enlisting the services of those who were denied the “opportunity to work” citing reasons such as “irregular” attendance.

An overwhelming majority of buses will not be operated, he said.

AIADMK chief and Leader of Opposition Edappadi K Palaniswami, or EPS, slammed the DMK regime as one without any humanitarian considerations as it has not come forward to meet even a single demand of the trade unions.

He urged the government to resume talks and fulfil the workers’ demands to a minimum extent at the least.

DA should be released

Briefing reporters on talks with the government/management of state transport corporations, Soundararajan said the government made it clear that “none of the demands of transport workers could be accepted now which is an unjust answer and an unfair stand”.

The trade union leader said the government has said that the talks could be resumed following the Pongal festival next week.

The transport unions have made it categorical that this stand of the government cannot be accepted. “This government is treating transport corporation workers as second-grade citizens.”

A key demand is the release of Dearness Allowance pending for eight years to pensioners and “we are not seeking a hike and we are asking the release of DA that is due.”

About 96,000 pensioners have not received it and the DA due per month is ₹6,000. For in-service workers “the DA is unpaid” for four months. The unions said the matter of release of about ₹2,000 crore, which is the “cumulative DA arrears” pending for pensioners may be decided later.

For the purpose of immediate implementation, only three main demands were stressed, Soundararajan underscored.

As regards pensioners, the DA must be released forthwith with prospective effect (the current due and not arrears) at the least.

For those in service, the pending DA should be cleared before Pongal.

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Wage revision

The government should specify a date to commence talks for enhanced wages to be settled under the 15th wage revision pact.

The unions urged the government to immediately fulfill only these three demands ahead of Pongal festival.

“If they cannot accept even this demand, what right does the government have to tell us to cancel the strike,” the trade union leader asked.

The parleys were a continuation of deliberations between the government and transport unions, which had given to authorities a “strike notice.”

Trade union affiliated to the ruling DMK, the Labour Progressive Federation (LPF) will not be part of the strike.

The main opposition AIADMK’s Anna Thozhirsanga Peravai (ATP) is among unions that will strike as “demands are not met.”

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