Transport union moves court seeking Rs 5,000 for unorganised workers

In a statement, the CITU-affiliated union said the petition seeking financial assistance was admitted by the court.

Pointing out that there were 20 lakh transport workers in the State, including autorickshaw, taxi, bus, and lorry drivers, the union said the government provided a relief of Rs 2,000 and rice only for 80,000 workers through the Tamil Nadu Auto Rickshaw and Taxi Drivers’ Welfare Board.

“We have been demanding the State and central governments to provide relief to the unorganised workers in the transport sector as they were dependent on their daily wages for their livelihood. But the State government has decided to provide relief only for the members of the welfare board which is wrong. The government should not insist on the membership of the welfare board to avail benefits as it was not provided as per the boards’ rules,” it said.

The union urged the government to provide Rs 5,000 per month during the lockdown period considering the minimum monthly wage fixed by it was Rs 10,000. “The government should provide the relief of Rs 5,000 each to all those have transport licence or yellow badge, those registered in the call taxi companies and mechanic shops,” it said, adding that the government should not discriminate between the organised and unorganised workers.

“When the government is ensuing payment of wages to the workers in organised sectors, unorganised workers were left to suffer,” it said. The court has admitted the petition moved on April 22 by the K Arumuga Naianar representing the union and issued to notice to the State and the Centre.