VIJAYAWADA: Barbers working on contract basis at
Sri Durga Malleswara Swamyvarla Devasthanams atop
Indrakeeladri have threatened to go on strike from June 15, 2018 demanding a salary hike.
The barbers have said that they should get Rs 15,000 as salary.
Barbers attended duties at Kalyanakatta wearing black badges as a protest and alleged that the temple management is ignoring them for years.
Barbers working in various temples managed by the endowments department formed a joint action committee (JAC) to lead the agitation.
JAC president Guntupalli Ramadasu said that hundreds of barbers working at temples in the state are facing problems due to poor salaries and their families are struggling as there is no job guarantee.
"The government should increase salary and give family pensions to the retired barbers and their family members," he said.
"We are working as a bonded slaves and we don't even have Employees’ State Insurance (ESI), provident pund, gratuity and others," Ramadasu added.
Illustration for representational purpose