Loadmen who were on strike at Gandhi Market regarding issues over unloading of goods on Monday relented later in the day after intervention by senior police and corporation officials.
The loadmen prevented traders from unloading their consignments of fruits and vegetables and other perishable commodities by way of deploying their own employee strength in the shops, in an expression of solidarity with their out-of-job counterparts who were earlier engaged in the onion market.
A section of the loadmen who were earlier employed in the onion market was not offered work by the traders after they shifted the shops out of the market to a location near Ariyamangalam.
Due to tense situation, police presence was strengthened at the eight entry and exit points of the market.
While the trade unions espousing the cause of striking loadmen rejected the proposal mooted by the district administration for splitting the workforce at the new onion market equally between old and new loadmen, the traders stood their ground that the 50:50 formula must be enforced by all means under the watch of police.
Officials held talks with representatives of traders and trade unions and prevailed upon them to resume activities in the interests of the public.
The loadmen subsequently relented and withdrew their strike.
The loading and unloading work was carried out subsequently.
