With the transport unions and the government failing to reach an amicable settlement over wage revision on Saturday, the unions have announced that they will go ahead with their plan for an indefinite strike in the State from May 15.
However, one more round of talks has been called by government at Pallavan House on Sunday afternoon.
Transport Minister M.R. Vijayabhaskar and Special Deputy Commissioner of Labour A. Yasmin Begum presided over Saturday’s meeting which lasted two hours.
While the government insisted on dropping the strike called by transport unions, the union leaders demanded solutions for addressing the issues related to payment of arrears of pension amount due to the employees.
Talks inconclusive
Labour Progressive Federation secretary M. Shanmugam said the talks were inconclusive and there was no sign of progress. The government had not come out with any assurance to settle the benefit due to the retired and working transport workers.
“The transport corporations have been incurring huge losses all these years and if the government does not agree to our demands on Sunday, we will go on indefinite strike from Monday,” he said.
Arumuga Naianar, general secretary of Tamil Nadu State Transport Employees Federation, affiliated to CITU, said the government had failed to settle the post-retirement benefits of transport corporation workers.
“We expect that 90% of employees in the transport corporation, including crew members, technical and administrative staff, will take part in the strike,” he said.
About 1.5 lakh are employed in eight transport corporations across the State.
Meanwhile, Mr. Vijayabhaskar and Anna Trade Union State secretary R. Chinnasamy discussed the issue with Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami and a last minute effort could be made to prevent the strike called by trade unions affiliated to Opposition parties, sources in the Transport Department said.
