The Federation of Tamil Nadu State Transport Employees Trade Union (Federation) has decided to continue its strike notwithstanding a direction by the Madras High Court to the protesting staff to return to work or face action including termination.
Transport Minister M.R. Vijayabhaskar on Friday night urged the crew to resume operations as people were put to extreme hardship due to their flash strike. He warned that action would be taken against employees who did not heed the court ruling.
However, at a press conference, Labour Progressive Federation general secretary Shanmugam said the federation was not given an opportunity to present its case in the High Court and it had not received any communication declaring the strike as illegal. Therefore, it would face the issue legally.
Earlier in the day, a bench of Chief Justice Indira Banerjee and Justice Abdul Quddhose passed an interim order restraining the transport corporation employees from continuing the strike demanding a better wage pact.
“Any worker refraining from attending to work and/or performing duty shall do so at his own risk of the consequences thereof, including termination of their services and/or penalisation for gross contempt of this court,” the judges said.
