Over 100 conservancy workers affiliated to Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) staged a sit-in protest on the Madurai Corporation premises on Monday to highlight their long-pending demands, including settlement of dues to those retired from service.
The protesters demanded disbursement of retirement benefits to the former employees. “Over 300 workers, who retired over the last two years, did not receive any benefits but for the provident fund,” said M. Balasubramaniam, general secretary, CITU.
The protesters also demanded disbursal of minimum wages as spelt out in the Government Order D) No. 62, dated October 11, 2017. According to the G.O., the revised pay would have increased the wages for daily, contract and consolidated workers from ₹500 to ₹625 per day.
They also alleged irregularities in their Provident Fund and Employees’ State Insurance accounts. “For more than 10 years, P.F. and E.S.I. have been deducted from my salary. But they have credited premiums for only a year,” said M. Pandi, a conservancy worker from ward 3.
They also demanded a minimum wage of ₹675 per day for drainage workers, street light mechanics, pump mechanics, gardeners, and watchmen. “The drainage workers are not equipped with sufficient protective gear and we are forced to buy the basic protective gear to protect ourselves,” says A. Saravanan, a conservancy worker.
After the protest, Corporation Commissioner S. Visakan held talks with the representatives of CITU.
“Since the heads of various departments were not present, the meeting has been rescheduled for September 17,” said Mr. Balasubramaniam.