Several trade union members were arrested in the city on Tuesday after they attempted to stage rail roko agitation in support of their 10-point charter of demands.
Heeding to a nation-wide protest call given by all trade unions, members of Centre of Indian Trade Unions, Labour Progressive Front, Indian National Trade Union Congress, All India Trade Union Congress, Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh and All India Central Council of Trade Unions, numbering over 300, assembled near the Tiruchi junction to carry on with their agitation for which permission was not granted by the city police.
The trade union members were taken into custody after they defied the police directive and attempted to go ahead with their plan. The members squatted on the approach road leading to the junction for some time demanding that the Centre control the hike in the prices of petrol, diesel, LPG and essential commodities, and withdraw sale of shares of public sector and government undertakings.
Creation of a national fund and passing of central protection act for unorganised labourers; withdrawal of new pension scheme; implementation of a guaranteed pension scheme for all sectors; grant of Rs. 10,000 as minimum wage; and filling up of vacant posts in government and public sector undertakings were among their other demands. All those arrested were later released.
