Urging the State government to include their 41-month period of suspension as work period, members of the Tamil Nadu Highways Department Road Employees’ Association (TNHDREA) staged a demonstration in front of the Divisional Engineer Office of Highways Department in Dindigul on Wednesday.
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The protesters, who deem September 7 as a ‘black day’ since 9,812 road employees were suspended citing financial burden in 2002, protested waving white flags to draw the attention of Chief Minister M.K. Stalin and Minister for Public Works E.V. Velu and “to accede to their 20-year-long demand.”
Members from various associations such as Tamil Nadu Government Employees’ Association (TNGEA), Tamil Nadu Government All Departments Pensioners’ Association (TNGPA), Tamil Nadu Noon Meal Employees’ Association (TNNMEA) also took part in the protest.
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Association’s state vice-president, T. Rajamanickam said the State should oblige the court's order to include our suspension period as work period. It is also one of the poll promises of the DMK government, he added.
Their demands included revising the basic pay of ₹1,300 to ₹1,900 for road workers designated as unskilled employees.
“Road workers are prone to accidents, especially while working in hilly regions. We work with sharp machines and many have lost their hands and legs and many their lives,” said Mr. Rajamanickam.
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They demanded jobs for legal heirs of road workers on compassionate grounds in case they died in harness.
“We are hopeful that Mr. Stalin would accede to our demands during the Joint Action Council of Tamil Nadu Teachers’ Organisations and Government Employees’ Organisation (Jacto-Geo) conference to be held in Chennai on September 10,” said Mr Rajamanickam.
Its secretary S. Seenivasan, TNGEA, district president, S. Mubarak Ali, TNGPA district president, S.M. Jayaseelan, and others were present during the event.