Municipal workers to strike today over delayed salaries

“We have chose to be on three-day strike till January 29 following which we will review whether to continue it or not”. In June and October 2015, the sanitation workers of various bodies of MCDs – East Delhi Municipal Corporation (EDMC), North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC), South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) – went on strike which resulted in the accumulation of garbage in different places across the capital.

Intervening in the matter, Delhi High Court has also rapped up AAP-led state government and central government seeking reply from them.

“We are being cheated by the government as we were assured that our demands will be fulfilled soon”, another added. “Sanitation workers as well as employees of other departments are also participating in the strike”, said Rajendra Mewati, general secretary of the United Front. According to a civic official, it takes around Rs. 500 crore to pay the salaries of all the employees of the three civic bodies.

“The issues of salary and arrear payment have affected all the employees of the municipal corporations, including the doctors, nurses, engineers, teachers, sanitation workers and other class III and IV staff, who have not been paid salaries for upto 3 months”, they said. Delhi BJP chief Satish Upadhyay said the municipal corporations shall file contempt petition against the Delhi government for failing to release funds and thus comply with the orders of the Delhi high court related to the implementation of the 4th Finance Commission.