CHENNAI: Talks fail, trailers' strike enters 3rd day

Source:http://expressbuzz.com/cities/chennai/talks-fail-trailers-strike-enters-3rd-day/223460.html

By G Saravanan

Published in The New Indian Express, Chennai, on November 16, 2010:

CHENNAI: TALKS aimed at breaking the deadlock between the Chennai Port management and the striking container trailers have ended inconclusively on Monday after the drivers of trailers categorically declined to call off their stir until the roads were made motorable in north Chennai.

With the Chennai Port Trust stand to lose heavy revenue if the flash strike continues, its chairman Atulya Misra on Monday met the representatives of three associations including the Trailer Owners Association for 30 minutes at the Trust’s headquarters and held discussion aimed at breaking the impasse.
According to sources, the container trailer drivers who had resorted to strike seeking action against the men who attacked one of the colleagues on Friday night, now changed their demand and pressing the Port management to set the roads in the stretch right since the bad roads were leading to these kinds of unruly scenes.

Though the meeting held for about 30 minutes, solution reminded elusive after the port trust was non-committal on their basic demand for setting roads right immediately.

Speaking to Express, one of the representatives who participated in the meet said the Port Trust was only buying time and not thinking about the revenue loss for all stakeholders (port users).
Sources said the port management had told representatives it would take about two years to make these roads container trailer-motorable and they would need two-months time to complete temporary works.
Unimpressed, representatives of the associations asked Port Trust chairman to inspect the bad condition of roads. Based on their request, Misra would be inspecting the condition of roads on the stretch on Tuesday.