More than a hundred conservancy workers, affiliated to the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), staged a demonstration at the Collectorate on Monday demanding minimum wages spelt out in the Government Order.
M. Balasubramaniam, general secretary, CITU, said wages for daily, contract and consolidated workers should have increased from ₹500 a day to ₹ 625 ar day had the Government Order (62), dated October 11, 2017, was implemented.
The conservancy workers demanded the implementation of the basic pay recommendations of the Seventh Pay Commission.
They also alleged irregularities in their Provident Fund and Employees’ State Insurance accounts. “For the past 10 years, they have deducted for PF and ESI from my salary. But they have credited premium into our PF accounts for only two years,” said A. Elango, a conservancy worker.
The protestors urged the Corporation to pay their arrears due to them. "For the last six months, we have not received the arrears,” said R. Packiam, a conservancy worker.
The situation was worse for the conservancy workers of rural areas, said C. Anji, district member of the CITU. “They have not received of the past 20 months. In fact, many workers did not receive their salary for the last six months. The clerk at the panchayat office decides everything since there is no elected local government,” said Mr. Anji.
