Chennai sanitation workers detained over protest against privatisation; women released
Workers, fearing wage cuts from Rs 23,000 to Rs 15,000 and demanding job security, were removed from the Ripon Building premises following a High Court order
Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) sanitation workers were detained by the police in the late hours of Wednesday (August 13) after staging a 13-day protest against the GCC's move to privatise solid waste management services in several zones.
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On Thursday, women sanitary workers were released, while men remain in detention at community halls.
The women protestors have not left the detention centres. The next course of action is being discussed by the police even as they urge the workers to continue the protests from designated areas such as Rajanathinam Stadium.
A few lawyers and law students were also arrested on Wednesday and they plan to gather in protest near the Madras High Court. The group of workers who spoke to The Federal on Thursday morning said that they remain firm on their demand and will not end their protest.
Sanitation workers protest
The workers, employed under the National Urban Livelihoods Mission (NULM), have been demanding job security and a rollback of the privatisation plans.
The Madras High Court earlier directed the police to remove the protesters from the Ripon Building premises, citing public inconvenience and traffic disruptions.
After the forceful detention, the workers were taken to community halls on Wednesday night.
Fears over privatisation
The sanitation workers, many of whom have served the GCC for over a decade, fear that privatisation could lead to contractual jobs with significantly-reduced salaries, from ₹23,000 to as low as ₹15,000 per month.
Mayor R Priya on Wednesday said that, following the High Court order, Greater Chennai Corporation officials held negotiation talks with representatives of the protesters and asked them to withdraw the protest in compliance with the ruling. However, the workers refused to comply.
"Ripon Building is not the place to protest and sanitation workers can stage their protest at the designated place after obtaining proper permission from the police. The High Court has observed that the protest should not continue, as it is disturbing the general public. The court has ordered eviction and we will follow it," the Mayor said on Wednesday evening after talks with the representatives of the workers.
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GCC defends move
The GCC defends the privatisation move, stating that 10 of its zones are already managed efficiently by private companies handling waste collection, segregation, and disposal.
The Mayor also pointed out that the workers would be given the benefits of health insurance, PF, ESI, and others.
However, the protesting workers argue that efficiency cannot justify the loss of their livelihood and that these benefits should have been given to them when they joined as GCC employees.
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Workers detained
Workers demanding job security were removed from the Ripon Building premises following the High Court order. During the eviction, many workers fainted and were taken to the hospital.
Clashes erupted between the protesting workers and the city police as they were being removed from the pathways outside the Ripon Building.
The protesting workers demanded either regularisation as permanent employees or continuation as NULM labourers with the same salary.
The workers remained in the community halls on Thursday (August 14) morning after being detained the previous night.
