MANGALURU: The door-to-door waste collection was hit in Mangaluru after workers attached to the Antony Waste Handling Cell Limited (AWHCL) held a flash protest again demanding bonus and other facilities. This is the second such protest in a fortnight.
Workers demanded the AWHCL, which has been entrusted the solid waste management in 60 wards of Mangaluru city, to fulfil various demands including regular salary, overtime allowance and social welfare schemes. Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) deputy commissioner (administration) G Santhosh Kumar told TOI that AWHCL has been directed to solve the issue on their own and the work of waste collection began in the afternoon.
They have held a protest today also and we have sorted out the issue by discussing with the representatives of workers and AWHCL. It is the responsibility of the management of the AWHCL to make payments to workers on time as per the contract.
Last time, the workers had demanded the employer to release salary and bonus. They had not released the workers’ bonus. Now they have assured that the bonus amount will be paid within two days. Following this, the workers have started their work of waste collection,” Kumar said adding that while pourakarmikas of the city corporation take up the waste management in 13 wards, the workers of AWHCL take up the job in the remaining wards.
It may be recalled that the workers of AWHCL had carried out a flash protest against payment delay on December 17. Officials of the MCC had rushed immediately and held a special meeting to sort out the issue then. Workers allege that most of the promises made on December 17 about their demands were not fulfilled. Hence, they have held protested again, workers said.