Will accept 2.44 per cent wage hike: TN transport unions seek talks with govt

Chennai: Tamil Nadu transport unions on Wednesday said that they were ready to accept the 2.44 per cent wage hike offered by the government.

They also urged the Madras High Court to direct the Tamil Nadu government to hold talks with them.

The unions had been demanding a 2.57-time hike.

The strike, following the failure of talks on wage revision and clearance of pending dues with Transport Minister MR Vijayabhaskar, was declared on January 4.

As many as 17 trade unions, including those affiliated to the DMK and Left parties, are on an indefinite strike.

Earlier on Wednesday, Tamil Nadu government, in an effort to pacify striking transport corporation workers, announced that Rs 750 crore would be released this week towards retirement benefits, with Chief Minister K Palanisamy urging the agitators to withdraw the seven-day-old agitation.

Making a statement in the state assembly, he said the amount would be given before Pongal festival (January 14) and it would benefit those who retired up to November 30, 2017.

Settlement of pending dues is one of the key demands of the striking workers.

However, the transport unions did not budge from their stand and decided to continue with the strike saying that the CM's announcement was no way near to their demands.

It said that the government had not made any announcement on Rs. 5000 crores debited from the salaries of current workers.

"The government has not made any announcement on Rs. 5000 crores debited from the salaries of current workers but not remitted towards the social security schemes including provident fund, credit society and LIC," Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation CITU state president A Soundararajan was quoted as saying by The New Indian Express.

(With inputs from PTI)