Ranchi, Sept 9: Sanitation workers of the Ranchi Municipal Corporation will stage a demonstration and gherao the Labour Commissioner’s office here on September 25 if their demands, including implementation of an earlier agreement, are not addressed, the Jharkhand Urban Local Bodies Workers’ Union said on Wednesday.
The decision was taken at a meeting of the union held at the Hatia Mazdoor Union office in Sector 2, Dhurwa, chaired by its president Bhawan Singh.
The union has demanded immediate implementation of a written agreement reached between its representatives and Ranchi Municipal Corporation officials in the presence of the Deputy Labour Commissioner.
Among the key demands are a minimum monthly wage of Rs 18,000, national festival holidays, annual earned leave and maternity leave, payment of bonus before Dussehra, regularisation of workers who have completed 10 years of service and payment of wages pending since 2013 to workers of A to Z Company.
The union alleged that most of the provisions of the agreement have not yet been implemented by the Ranchi Municipal Corporation, leading to resentment among sanitation workers and union leaders.
The union has scheduled talks with the Labour Commissioner, Ranchi, on September 18 and said the proposed September 25 protest would be held if the talks fail to produce a satisfactory outcome.
“Most of the demands agreed upon have not yet been implemented by the Ranchi Municipal Corporation,” the union said.
It warned that failure to implement the agreement immediately would result in a strong demonstration and gherao on September 25.
“Workers who have been working for the past 10 years should be regularised,” the union said, reiterating one of its key demands.
The statement was issued by Bhawan Singh, president, and Prakash Toppo, general secretary, of the Jharkhand Urban Local Bodies Workers’ Union.
