The protest called by the CITU here on Thursday demanded regularisation of employment of sanitation workers, setting up of a sexual harassment committee at work place, equal pay for equal work, and increase in wages.
The women sanitary workers demanded filling up of vacancies and increase in the number of workers to meet the demands of an expanding Dharmapuri Municipal jurisdiction. As present, there are 139 vacancies and more appointments are needed, the protesters said.
The trade union called for regularisation of the employment of over 90 sanitary workers appointed on contractual basis. Equal pay for equal work as directed by the Madras High Court and also by the State government should be implemented with guaranteed wages of Rs 596 per day for sanitation workers, it demanded.
It also called for setting up of a sexual harassment committee at work place as directed by the Supreme Court under Vishaka judgment.
The appointment of women workers engaged for door-to-door screening for dengue prevention on ad-hoc basis should be made permanent with job security all year through. The municipality should also release wages for the work done by engue prevention women workers for December, 2021 that was still not paid.
Outsourcing of sanitation work by the municipality should be stopped and instead direct employment should be provided. Wages should be paid on the first of every month; safety gear including gloves and masks be provided on a regular basis; payment of ESI and PF for sanitation workers that was stopped since October 2021 should be paid and payment of ₹15,000 as announced by the government for the service done by sanitary workers during the pandemic should be released.
