The protest by Chennai’s conservancy workers and the way forward | Explained

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Conservancy workers staging demonstration neat Chennai Collectorate demanding job regularisation and fair wages. File | Photo Credit: B. Jothi Ramalingam

The story so far: Over the last year, conservancy workers in some parts of Chennai have taken to the streets to orchestrate protests, pushing for demands they have had for the last two decades. The workers, engaged under the National Urban Livelihoods Mission (NULM)-Self Help Group model, have sought permanent employment, fair wages and better working conditions.

After repeated rallies, the TVK-led State government reached an agreement with the workers recently by promising welfare measures and further negotiations. But the core demands — permanency and the ₹832 daily wage — are still to be resolved.

Under the NULM-SHG model, there are over 2,900 workers for conservancy duties in Royapuram (V), Thiru.Vi.Ka Nagar (VI and parts of Anna Nagar (VIII) Zones work — some working as sweepers, waste collectors and battery-operated vehicle drivers for over a decade.

In 2017, there were 15,776 workers with GCC. This expanded and there are 21,436 workers currently — 3,628 are permanent, 415 are Nominal Muster Roll workers, 2,946 are NULM-SHG, and 14,447 are employed via two private agencies. Many have continued working amid COVID-19 lockdowns, floods, and extreme heat

But, the NULM workers are still under the contract system, meaning there’s no job security.

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The formal proposal by Chennai Corporation was in 1999 and was implemented in 2000 despite fierce opposition by members of the Communist parties and trade unions. After 2011 when the GCC expanded from 10 to 15 zones, the area under privatisation was expanded much more. In Royapuram (V), Thiru.Vi.Ka Nagar (VI), and parts of Anna Nagar (VIII) only NULM workers continued.

In April 2025, the GCC Council, led by Mayor R. Priya, passed a resolution to outsource conservancy work from August 2025 in the these areas too, despite opposition. The GCC claimed its decision was taken because of low attendance of conservancy staff under NULM, and charges that some workers signed the attendance registry but, instead of conservancy, they would take up other private jobs such as vending or house keeping.

Workers sought a ₹832 daily wage, permanency, and benefits. Permanency provides stable employment along with Employees’ State Insurance and Provident Fund benefits, and could also assure employment for their next generation with the government.

Further, they wanted a physical attendance registration rather than biometric sign ins, which they claimed glitched often.

"Initial talks by Ministers and Mayor were welcome. What we need is job permanency and rolling back privatisation of conservancy work in three zones (Tondiarpet - IV, Royapuram - V and Thiru-Vi-Ka - VI) by Chennai Corporation," said Mohan of Left Trade Union Centre (LTUC) and… https://t.co/7MwgwJOpAVpic.twitter.com/HvVqboWiud

They opposed being transferred to private agencies without consultation. As part of the deal, they were offered a minimum wage of ₹16,950 a month against their NULM earnings of about ₹23,000 a month.

Chennai Enviro Solutions subsequently revised the offer in August 2025 to ₹761 a day, including ESI and Provident Fund contributions.

But, unions, including the Uzhaippor Urimai Iyakkam (UUI), affiliated with the Labour Trade Union Congress (LTUC) and the All India Central Council of Trade Unions (AICCTU), staged continuous protests through 2023, 2024 and 2025.

On August 1, 2025, over 500 workers protested outside Ripon Buildings, the GCC headquarters. The dispute acquired a political dimension. The workers alleged then Chief Minister M.K. Stalin was not implementing permanency even though it was part of his poll promises before the 2021 elections.

Pa. Ranjith’s Neelam Foundation, NTK’s Seeman, and DMDK’s Premalatha Vijayakanth extended support to the striking workers. Talks with the then GCC Commissioner J. Kumaragurubaran failed, with workers rejecting breakfast and lunch services as inadequate. TVK party leader C. Joseph Vijay met and supported the cause on August 11, 2025.

Following Madras High Court orders restricting protest locations, police detained over 300 workers late on August 13, 2025, releasing them on August 14, 2025. On September 2, 2025, the Madras High Court passed an interim order to appoint a one-man commission headed by retired judge V. Parthiban to investigate alleged police excesses, it was later suspended pursuant to a petition by the Greater Chennai Police Commissioner to vacate it.

Meanwhile, GCC council passed another resolution in August 27, 2025, approving resolutions to appoint consulting firms as independent entities to monitor the privatisation of solid waste management in Royapuram and Thiru.Vi.Ka. Nagar zones.

The dispute continued through court proceedings and further negotiations, although the High Court refused to quash the GCC’s outsourcing resolutions on August 20, 2025. The standoff continued, with demonstrations organised at the May Day Park, Marina beach and beside Cooum river.

Some NULM workers decided to join the private agencies.

The GCC Council approved a resolution to revise wages for sanitation workers, fixing the daily salary at ₹753 per worker in December 2025.

After 165 days of protesting, workers temporarily called off their strike on January 12, 2026, after then HR&CE Minister P.K. Sekarbabu assured job reinstatements under NULM with the GCC and rolled back privatization in the two zones.

In June, NULM workers renewed demands for permanency along with maternity and menstrual leaves, gloves, and toilets.

A protest near the Chennai Collectorate was led by UUI leader K. Bharathi, followed by a walk near the Secretariat to mark one year since the 2025 protest.

They also marked a year since their detention on August 13, 2026, and began protests at Ripon Buildings, the GCC headquarters. Meanwhile the public continues to be affected as conservancy operations in these three zones.

On September 4, 2026 Ministers Aadhav Arjuna, C.T.R Nirmal Kumar, N. Anand, Rajmohan, with GCC Commissioner G.S. Sameeran held talks with the workers and agreed on some measures including a ₹50 daily food allowance starting October 1, 2026, annual raincoats, two daily masks, safety gear, women’s restrooms/toilets, welfare-board registration, compassionate employment/compensation for deceased workers’ families, and 160 battery-operated vehicles across three zones.

Permanency, weekly holidays, maternity and menstrual leave, and the ₹832 wage remain unresolved. The next round of talks will be held on October 3, 2026.

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