January 04, 2015
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CITU Extends Support & Calls for Countrywide Solidarity Action

THE workers of Tamilnadu State Transport Corporation have gone on indefinite strike from December 28, 2014 demanding revision of wage agreement which has fallen long overdue. All the unions in the state transport sector except one aligned to ruling party in the state have unitedly given the call for strike. The unions have been pursuing for wage revision since last six months but the state government arrogantly refused to even commence meaningful and serious negotiation. Such a situation compelled the unions to go in for indefinite strike. It is not just the arrogant refusal to commence wage revision process, the state government went to the extent of refusing the statutory terminal benefits like PF and gratuity to retired workers with a vengeance. Even workers own life long savings through cooperative societies etc, contribution for which was deducted by management for onward remittance to the cooperative society, LIC etc as an arrangement have not been properly disbursed and due remittance accumulated to the tune of Rs 4500 crore have been unlawfully withheld by the state government. The state government is hell bent to break the strike and is making efforts to use the police force and the team of hooligans of the ruling party simultaneously. Braving such repressive assaults, the workers remained firm in the strike action. In a statement issued on December 30, the CITU has congratulated the striking workers of TNSTC for their heroic battle and demanded the state government to refrain from taking repressive and intimidating action on the workers struggling for their just demands. The state government must, instead, come forward for meaningful negotiation with the unions for expeditious settlement on wage revision while releasing the workers own savings unlawfully withheld by the government. The CITU also called upon the trade union movement in general and its affiliates in Tamilnadu in particular to organise solidarity action in support of the striking workers of Tamilnadu State Transport Corporation.