Loading and unloading operations at wholesale vegetable markets in Mettupalayam suffered after the workers went on a strike on Sunday morning.
According to sources, around 2,000 workers refused to unload potatoes at ‘mundys’ on Nellithurai Road, Gandhi Maidan, Old Municipality Office Road, Thiru Subramanya Kovil Street and a few other places.
The markets see traders bring potatoes from the Nilgris and Karnataka on a daily basis. The workers unload these from the lorries and take them to ‘mundys’ and from there to the buyers who purchase them for further sales.
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These workers entered into an agreement with the ‘mundy’ owners on January 14, 2010 for a period of three years, till January 13, 2013. At the end of the agreement period, the workers demanded that they be given Rs. 12 a load. The ‘mundy’ owners did not agree and this resulted in a stalemate.
The sources said that the Mettupalayam Police intervened to ask the agitating workers to negotiate with the ‘mundy’ owners and continue the loading and unloading operation until a decision was arrived at.
As it was decided to hold the wage talks on Wednesday, the strike was called off late in the evening.
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