Sanitation workers call off protest as Minister Sekar Babu assures jobs under GCC
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Nearly five months after launching multiple protests demanding regularised jobs under the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC), sanitation workers from Zones 5 (Royapuram) and 6 (Thiru Vi Ka Nagar) have called off their hunger protest after final negotiations on Monday, January 12. The decision came after interventions by Minister PK Sekar Babu and Mayor Priya Rajan of GCC.
Minister Sekar Babu arrived at the Ambattur office of the Uzhaipor Urimai Iyakkam (UUI), the union that led the protest, where he met workers who had been on an indefinite hunger strike and offered them juice to formally conclude the protest.
Addressing the workers, the minister recalled a phrase attributed to former Chief Minister C N Annadurai, “Nadanthathu Nadanthu thaaga irukattum, ini nadapavai nallathaaga irukattum (Whatever happens, let it be. Whatever is going to happen, would be good),” he said.
He said the UUI was rooted in Dravidian ideology and congratulated the union for standing firm against privatisation. “The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) party will not go back on its poll promises. This pongal will be a good pongal for the workers,” he said.
He also greeted Bharathi, advocate and State president of the UUI, and Kumarasamy, senior counsel representing the workers.
Along with Mayor Priya Rajan, the minister later met sanitation workers in Kolathur, Korattur, Villivakkam, and Ambattur, assuring them that they would be provided jobs under the GCC within the month.
Bharathi welcomed the government’s move to consider the workers’ demands. “We did not celebrate Diwali, Christmas or New year due to this issue. But for Pongal, we have received good news,” he said.
“We are extremely happy now. We have been given answers for all the hardships we faced till date,” said Anandhi, a sanitation worker from Zone 6.
“For the past five months, we have lost our livelihood, but we had faith in Bharathi and other trade unions. I want to express my happiness by crying. Even my family had lost hope that I would get my job back, but I continued to believe,” Jayanthi, a sanitation worker from Zone 6.
