As transport staff stir enters 32nd day, ally Left asks DMK govt to act
The protest, being held at 22 locations across the State, seeks the settlement of retirement benefits and other financial dues;
Representative image
CHENNAI: The CPM has urged the state government to resolve the long-pending demands of transport workers, even as a relay sit-in protest by the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) entered its 32nd day on Friday.
The protest, being held at 22 locations across the State, seeks the settlement of retirement benefits and other financial dues.
A resolution to this effect was passed at the two-day state committee meeting of the CPM, chaired by executive committee member S Muthukkannan. The meeting was held in Kovilpatti on September 18 and 19. The meeting was attended by senior leaders, including polit bureau members K Balakrishnan and U Vasuki, and state secretary P Shanmugam.
The resolution pointed out that retirement benefits for former transport corporation employees have been pending for 16 months. It also highlighted issues such as delayed dearness allowance revisions, lack of medical insurance, and stalled pension hikes.
The committee alleged that deductions from workers’ salaries meant for provident fund contributions and other welfare schemes were not deposited in proper accounts. It accused the management of misusing a total of Rs 15,000 crore, which it said was the root cause of the crisis.
The CPM criticised the government for not implementing the old pension scheme for employees who joined after April 1, 2003, despite the DMK’s election promise.
On September 1, union leaders met the Transport Minister and demanded immediate payment of pending dues and settlement of retirement benefits before Deepavali. The minister had assured them that he would consult the Finance Department. The Marxist party condemned the government’s inaction despite the ongoing protest and called for urgent intervention.