TNGTCWF, affiliated with AITUC, said that transport corporations operate buses for the benefit of the ordinary and poor people connecting villages. “It is the government responsibility to save the corporations which are running buses for the public services at low fares. To compensate for the loss faced by the corporations, the government should allocate funds in the budget. This has been a long pending demand of the corporation workers,” said R Arumugham, general secretary of TNGTCWF.

He also urged the state to compensate the corporations periodically for allowing free travel of women. “We welcome the decision to allow free travel of women in the town buses. The state should periodically compensate the expenses incurred by the corporations in this regard,” he demanded. The union leader pointed to the pending wage settlement talks and requested to conclude the negotiations soon. He also noted that the previous rule had foisted false cases on 86 workers and it should be revoked.