Mumbai: Sweepers, garbage collectors and conservancy workers employed on contract in the Solid Waste management departments of the civic bodies of Mumbai, Thane and Navi Mumbai announced a month-long ‘begging’ protest over unpaid minimum wages and working conditions.
The protest, beginning on January 18, will see these civic workers ‘begging’ in South Mumbai, and money collected will be given to the civic bodies. “The civic bodies collectively owe each worker nearly ₹1 lakh in lieu of unpaid minimum wages,” Milind Ranade, general secretary, Kachra Vahatuk Shramik Sangh (KVSS), said.
The KVSS claims these civic bodies owe workers ₹1,955 crore in minimum and regular wage arrears, unpaid bonuses, Provident Fund allocations, gratuity and penalty for non-payment of minimum wages. Mr. Ranade said the workers’ PF accounts are empty despite deductions made from their salaries every month.
Mass leave to meet PM
Protesting workers will also individually apply for leave on February 18, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to visit the city. “Our workers don’t get leave. We’ll ask the Commissioners of the three civic bodies to grant us leave to meet our PM and tell him abouwt our issues,” Mr. Ranade said. Saying the protest will be mostly be held in BMC’s ‘A’ Ward, he added that in many parts of South Mumbai, civic staff work double-shifts but earn less than the stipulated minimum wage of ₹14,700 per month.
On January 5, the KVSS had protested the death of BMC sweeper Sumati Devendra by keeping her body wrapped in a white cloth in front of the BMC headquarters. Devendra was part of a group of 1,300 BMC contract workers fighting for permanent employment. “Through their actions, BMC is pushing contract workers to suicide,” Mr. Ranade alleged.
The union said the civic body is disqualifying 2,700 contract workers despite being accorded permanent status in a Supreme Court judgement. Mr. Ranade said, “Authorities claim these workers’ names as on rolls don’t match those provided to the court. “On the pretext of typographical errors, they are dismissing years of service and proof of their existence on the BMC payroll. Of the 2,700 workers, only 191 have been made permanent, but even they haven’t been paid wages for four months.”
Vilas Kharat, a sweeper for nearly 15 years, said, “My debts have been piling up as I haven't been made a permanent worker yet. I’ve had to borrow from local moneylenders to pay for my children's school fees. If I get my my PF, I could at least pay off my debts.”
