No breakthrough, safai workers might extend stir

Gurgaon: Sanitation workers, who have been on strike since May 1, on Wednesday said they might extend their agitation as the Haryana govt has not initiated talks to address their demands so far.

“It seems the govt is least bothered about us and the impact of our strike in the city, where garbage can be seen littered across the city. We will take a decision on Thursday and are likely to continue the strike,” said Basant Kumar, president of the Gurgaon unit of the Haryana Sarv Karamchari Sangh.

Protesters said a final decision on continuing the agitation will be taken on Thursday during a core committee meeting of the union.

The union leaders said the state govt should hold talks with the protesters and address “the legitimate demands” of the fire department and the municipal corporation employees at the earliest.

A key ask of the protesting workers is the regularisation of contractual sanitation employees. “Due to the discriminatory policies of the Haryana govt, sanitation and fire department employees of municipalities, councils and corporations are on strike today,” Kumar said. He said that employees have been working on contractual basis for 15 to 20 years in the state and instead of formulating a policy to regularise them, they are being exploited and harassed.

“Three rounds of talks have failed. Every time we only get assurances but no implementation on the ground. The state govt will have to agree to our demands otherwise we will continue to protest like the fire department employees,” said Kumar.

MCG said that resolving the workers’ protest is beyond its authority. An official said that although the civic body has held multiple rounds of discussions with the protesters, their demands have to be addressed by the state govt. He added that sanitation services are outsourced and managed by private firms.