After 165 days of protest, conservancy employees ended their strike on Monday, following talks with Chennai Metropolitan Improvement Authority (CMDA) Chairman and HR&CE Minister P.Okay. Sekarbabu, who assured them that the State would reinstate their jobs below the Nationwide City Livelihoods Mission (NULM) by the tip of this month, in line with Uzhaippor Urimai Iyakkam (UUI).

Mr. Sekarbabu held talks with the employees, together with Chennai Mayor R. Priya, and stated the State would reinstate the employees’ jobs below the NULM with the Larger Chennai Company (GCC) quickly. The employees of Royapuram and Thiru. Vi. Ka Nagar zones have been protesting in opposition to the outsourcing of conservancy operation by the GCC and demanded the reinstatement of their jobs below the NULM scheme.

“Job permanency won’t be addressed administratively at current, and the federal government has requested [UUI] to pursue the matter legally,” stated Okay. Bharathi of the Iyakkam. Almost 1,400 employees will likely be reinstated, he stated, including that six employees can be reinstated at a later date since they have been ill.

“The federal government additionally stated the revised wage [of ₹753 a day] will likely be given to the employees rejoining below the NULM. The primary section of the protest has been profitable. As soon as permanency can be assured, it will likely be a whole victory,” Mr. Bharathi added.

The organisation has been protesting in opposition to outsourcing of conservancy since 2024. In July and August 2025, the employees held an enormous protest in entrance of Ripon Buildings, and have been eliminated by the police late on August 13, 2025. Following this, the employees headed by the organisation held demonstrations at Might Day Park, the Chennai Collectorate, and close to the Secretariat.

‘Uncertainties persist’

S. Lakshmi, 38, ended her 19-day starvation strike after Mr. Sekarbabu assured her of a job below the NULM. Nonetheless, she stated there can be no blissful Pongal, as nervousness over re-employment would persist till she obtained the appointment order and one month’s wage.

“After that, possibly in February, we may have our ‘Completely happy Pongal’,” she stated. She stated uncertainties remained over the zone of posting, transportation, and the character of labor.

She stated her husband had deserted her and their two kids a number of years in the past and that she was the only incomes member of the household. She stated she had been managing month-to-month family bills of ₹24,000, together with home hire, loans of about ₹1.2 lakh, and her daughter’s faculty charges .