Around 450 computer operators and hardware/software engineers, working on outsourced basis in the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), will go on strike on Monday against non-payment of their wages for four months.
Palaniswamy G.K., general secretary of BBMP Computer Operators’ Union, told The Hindu that the civic body had not paid salaries to the employees on time. “It has come to a situation where we have to stage a protest every time for our salaries, which the BBMP is liable to pay,” he said.
Mr. Palaniswamy pointed out that the contract with Keonics had ended in November 2013 and the BBMP had assured them that their services would be continued.
“However, we do not know who will pay our salaries. Keonics has written to the BBMP saying that they are not responsible for us,” he said.
The BBMP officials were dependent on computer operators for election work. But, a few officials were ill-treating the operators and preventing them from going home after regular working hours, he alleged.
A computer operator, on condition of anonymity, said that a supervisor at one of the BBMP offices locked the gate every day around 5.30 p.m. to prevent them from leaving. “When we protested, the officer threatened to ensure that we do not get our pending salaries if we did not ‘cooperate’. We are allowed to leave office only after 8.30 p.m.,” she said.
A BBMP official said that the election work was likely to get affected to a certain extent with the strike. “Work on updating voters’ list is on. The strike may affect this.”
He said that Keonics, a government agency, could use its 4(g) exemption and submit bills for the salaries to be paid to these computer operators. This could be done until new tenders for the operators are finalised, he added.
