Coimbatore, May 9 (IANS) Riding on the momentum of Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam’s (TVK) impressive performance in the recently concluded Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, a section of employees in the State Transport Undertakings (STUs) have initiated efforts to form a new trade union aligned with the actor-politician Vijay-led party.
According to sources in the Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation (TNSTC), several bus crew members, including drivers and conductors who openly supported TVK during the election campaign, celebrated the party’s electoral success by distributing sweets and gathering in front of branch offices across parts of the state.
Encouraged by the party’s emergence as a major political force, TVK supporters within TNSTC and the State Express Transport Corporation (SETC) are now seeking to establish an independent workers’ union under the transport undertakings.
The proposed union is expected to function on lines similar to the powerful unions affiliated with the DMK and AIADMK, both of which have traditionally held considerable influence in transport corporations whenever their respective parties were in power.
Sources said transport workers backing TVK had already approached senior party functionaries requesting formal recognition and organisational support for launching the union.
Party leaders have reportedly responded positively and initiated preliminary discussions regarding its structure and leadership.
Employees involved in the initiative said the objective of the proposed union would be to safeguard workers’ rights and raise several long-pending issues affecting transport employees, including service conditions, workload, transfers, salary-related grievances and retirement benefits.
“The union is likely to be launched soon,” a driver attached to the TNSTC’s Mettupalayam branch told media persons on condition of anonymity.
He added that many drivers and conductors associated with Vijay’s fan clubs were currently members of unions linked to the DMK and AIADMK, but were now considering shifting allegiance following TVK’s electoral rise.
Political observers believe the move reflects TVK’s growing influence among sections of government employees and organised labour groups, especially younger workers and Vijay supporters who actively campaigned for the party during the Assembly elections.
The development is also being closely watched within transport corporations, where trade unions have long played a key role in labour negotiations and administrative decisions.
–IANS
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