A section of employees of the Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation today commenced an indefinite strike pressing for various demands, including wage revision.

Eleven trade unions, including CITU, INTUC and DMK’s Labour Progressive Front, are participating in the strike.

About 60 per cent of the buses, one of the major modes of public transportation, did not operate following the strike, police said.

The CITU State General Secretary, A Sounderrajan, said the unions would continue their strike till the Government concede to their demands, including wage revision.

The striking employees held a dharna at the Tamil Nadu State Express Corporation office here shouting slogans and demanding the authorities to take urgent steps to resolve their grievances.

Various political parties, including DMK, PMK and Congress, urged the Government to convene conciliatory talks immediately with the striking unions and arrive at an amicable settlement.

The DMK chief, M Karunanidhi, in a statement criticised the Government for failing to address the issue at the right time.

“I urge the Transport Ministry and the Government at least now to convene a meeting with the transport unions and settle the issue amicably,” he said.

The TNCC President, E V K S Elangovan, told reporters that the demands by the unions were justifiable and sought the Government’s intervention to resolve the issue.

MDMK chief Vaiko said that the Chief Minister, O Panneerselvam, should discuss the issue with the agitating transport unions considering “hardships faced by the passengers”.

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