Municipal staff on 3-day strike in Haryana

A large number of municipal workers have gone on a three-day strike since Wednesday across Haryana in support of their demands, including regularisation of the contractual employees.

Nearly 30,000 employees of over 80 municipal corporations, municipal committees and councils have gone on a strike, claimed Subhash Lamba, general secretary of Sarv Karamchari Sangh, an umbrella body representing various employees unions in the state.

He said, "Our main demands are regularisation of nearly 20,000 contractual employees and equal pay for equal work. We are also demanding a hike in minimum pay of safai karamcharis from Rs 10,000 to Rs 15,000 per month. The three-day statewide strike can be extended indefinitely.”

The BJP government in the state had failed to keep the promises made to the employees in its poll manifesto, he alleged.

The other major demands of the striking employees include implementation of cashless medical facilities for contractual employees, increasing allowances of both permanent and contractual employees, risk allowance and better safety equipment for those engaged in cleaning sewers.

Lamba added the striking employees belong to civil, public health and fire brigade departments, among others.