Chennai: Residents of the city who visited Ripon Buildings, the headquarters of Greater Chennai Corporation, for various official works had a tough time entering the ‘white house’ as the city police erected barricades at all four entrances, on Tuesday.
The action had come after the Chennai Corporation Red Flag Union announced a protest at Ripon Buildings on Tuesday demanding the implementation of the old pension scheme and permanent jobs for NMR and contractual conservancy workers among others. Since the registered labour union, which has been fighting for the cause more 5 years, planned to start the peace protest at 2 pm, the police cordoned off the building much before that.
“The management had agreed to conduct a meeting with us at 4 pm and the workers are arriving to attend the meeting. But the police arrested workers fearing a protest,” G. Munusamy, the union's general secretary said.
Meanwhile, Chennai Corporation Commissioner D. Karthikeyan met representatives of the union at 6 pm and promised NMR workers would be made permanent in a month. “The commissioner also assured Rs 16,725 wage to contract labours after discussions with the government,” Munusamy said. However, the union had raised slogans near the front gate of the Ripon Buildings condemning the police action of arresting the workers.
