Coimbatore Corporation has more than 3,500 temporary and 2,356 permanent sanitation workers.
They went on strike at the end of last year because the corporation did not give them 721 rupees, which was announced by the district administration. Due to this, there was accumulation of garbage during festivals including Ayudha Puja.
The whole city stank. Mayor Kalpana announced that 648 rupees will be given as daily wage from January 1 this year in the council meeting held in December.
But, as daily wage, only 421 rupees was cheated by ‘crediting’ the workers’ bank account, causing a lot of tension among them.
Not for private
Apart from this, measures including privatization of garbage collection have further increased dissatisfaction among sanitation workers.
Following this, five organizations like Bharatiya Masduar Sangam (PMS), Bharatiya Coimbatore District General Labor Union (Cleaning Workers Section) have formed the Coimbatore District Cleaning Workers’ Protest Federation and have announced an indefinite strike from tomorrow.
If the solution is found, the result!
Federation coordinator Stalin Prabhu said, “According to Decree 62, we are fighting for the demands including minimum wages. Next, it is planned to lay the tarp on private individuals for the garbage collection work. Against this, more than 5,000 people across the district are on strike from the 23rd; Don’t be fooled this time. The struggle will continue until a solution is found,” he said.
They keep talking!
At the Labor Department office on Dr. Balasundaram Road, Joint Commissioner Sivakami, Assistant Commissioner Prema, Municipal Health Officers and protest federations held a meeting yesterday. As no solution has been reached, arrangements will be made to hold talks with the higher officials of the corporation within 24 hours, said the officials of the labor department.