Protesting workers of the SIPCOT Industrial Estate, Oragadam, were arrested on Tuesday by the police, when they attempted to march towards Kancheepuram from Oragadam, urging the district administration to intervene in the dispute with their companies.
Protesters gathered near the flyover on the Wallajahbad-Tambaram Road, Oragadam, and a manufacturing plant at Vadgal on Tuesday morning.
When the protesters — led by leaders of the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) and the Working People Trade Union Council (WPTUC) — started to move towards Kancheepuram, they were arrested by the police.
The 1,500 members who were arrested, were later released in the evening.
The protesters were demanding that the workers union, formed by them, affiliated to CITU with respect to Yamaha Motor India workers’ union and WPTUC with respect to Royal Enfield workers’ union, be recognised by their respective manufacturing companies. Raising the same demand, they had been staying away from work for the last one month.
Workers affected by inconclusive wage talks at an automobile spare parts manufacturing company — Myoung Shin Automotive India — where the workers’ union was affiliated to the CITU, have also joined the protest and courted arrest, the police said.
