Workers withdraw strike after BMC agrees to their demands

Mumbai: The strike by conservancy workers was called off on the fourth day on Friday after Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) officials agreed to meet all their demands. They were protesting the BMC’s decision to reduce the number of trash collection vans, change posts, and appoint a single contractor for all works. However, garbage piled up in some parts of the city.

The civic body brought down the number of garbage trucks by around 15% as it claims that the amount of garbage has come down from 9,500 metric tonnes to 7,300 metric tonnes. The BMC has also roped in a single contractor for collection, transportation, and disposal of garbage in three wards: R central (Borivali), R south (Kandivali), and R north (Dahisar). The contract came into effect this week.

Following this, conservancy workers of these wards staged protests. When that went unnoticed, hundreds of contractual workers struck work on Friday and protested at Azad Maidan. They were represented by three unions.

“Workers of zone VII had also protested earlier this week. By allotting the contract to a single bidder, the BMC has reduced the number of workers on each vehicle from six to three. The excess workers were being shifted from the post of motor loader to sweeper. That was not acceptable,” Mahesh Gurav of Municipal Karmachari Kamgar Sangh (MKKS) said.

Bala Tambe, joint secretary, Municipal Mazdoor Union, said, “Motor loaders are being made sweepers, but there are already enough sweepers. How will they accommodated more?”

Sanjay Wagh, secretary of MKKS, said, “We had been protesting since the single contractor was proposed last year, but the administration paid no heed. The pilot project in one ward will eventually be replicated in every ward. We will not let that happen.” The unions held a meeting with civic officials and standing committee chairman Yashwant Jadhav. “Since the administration agreed to all our demands, we withdrew the strike,” Mr. Wagh said.

The administration is now supposed to submit a written explanation before Mr. Jadhav on Tuesday explaining how many labourers are affected and what can be done to accommodate them.