Bus strike over wage hike leaves thousands stranded in Tamil Nadu

While the employees’ unions demanded a 2.57% hike in wages, transport minister M R Vijayabhaskar said the government agreed to 2.44%, that found support from a few unions.

After talks with authorities over wage hike failed, state transport employees in Tamil Nadu went on a flash strike on Thursday night, leaving thousands of people stranded at various places across the state.

Thousands of people were stranded at various places across the state.(Twitter/ANI)

While the employees’ unions demanded a 2.57% hike in wages, transport minister M R Vijayabhaskar said the government agreed to 2.44%, that found support from a few unions. The hike will cost the state government Rs 83 core.

Unhappy over the results, union workers went on a flash strike on Thursday night.

Several thousand people were in for a shock by the late and unannounced strike and were forced to take private modes of transport.

According to A Soundarrajan, president of TN State Transport Employees Federation, all transport services run by the government, Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC), TNSTC, SETC and local town buses will be off the roads.

The transport staff are paid very low salaries and a revision was due this year after three years, but the negotiations failed.

The strike continued on Friday even as the government managed to run a few buses, including private ones hired on contract, at various places with police protection.

There were heated arguments and clashes in few places as road transport corporation employees tried to prevent the buses from plying.

There were reports of autorickshaws and cabs overcharging people at some places. However, traffic police maintained a check on the malpractice at several places.

However, the union affiliated to the ruling AIADMK, Anna Thozhil Sanga Peravai, has not joined the strike and its members are plying the few buses on roads.

Commuters complained that they were unable to reach their offices on time.

Minister Vijayabhaskar urged workers to return to work as it was causing great inconvenience to the public and warned of strict action against those disrupting the running of buses.

Only 35% of the MTC fleet was running in Chennai. In other parts of the state such as Madurai, Tiruchirapalli, Krishnagiri, Erode, Salem, Vellore, Thiruvarur and other districts, private buses came to the rescue of stranded people.