The indefinite strike launched by employees of the Nagar Nigam Karamchari Union entered its second day on Tuesday, affecting several civic services in the city as sanitation and municipal workers continued their protest in support of their pending demands.
The agitation, being carried out under the banner of the Joint Public Action Front Punjab and the Punjab and Nagar Palika Sanitation Employees Federation, witnessed a protest-cum-dharna in which employees gathered in large numbers before MC office Phagwara and raised slogans in support of their demands.
Municipal Corporation offices in Phagwara remained largely non-functional during the day, while routine civic operations, including sanitation and maintenance services, were impacted due to the strike. Addressing the protesters, former Union Minister Som Parkash expressed solidarity with the agitating employees and said that workers serving in civic bodies play a crucial role in maintaining urban infrastructure and public services.
He emphasised that the concerns of employees should be addressed through meaningful dialogue and constructive engagement. Harbhajan Singh Balalon also addressed the gathering and supported the employees’ movement, stating that workers had the democratic right to raise their issues peacefully.
He urged the government to consider the employees’ demands sympathetically and resolve the matter at the earliest. Balwinder Singh Dhaliwal, while speaking at the protest site, assured the employees that their concerns would be taken up with the appropriate authorities. He appealed for an amicable resolution of the issue while acknowledging the contribution of sanitation and municipal employees towards public welfare.
Besides political leaders, representatives of several labour unions and social organisations also joined the dharna and extended support to the protesting employees.
The speakers highlighted the importance of protecting workers’ rights and maintaining regular communication between the administration and employee organisations to prevent prolonged disruptions in civic services. Union leaders reiterated that the agitation would continue until their demands were addressed satisfactorily.
They appealed to employees to maintain unity and discipline during the course of the protest. The strike has led to disruption in sanitation work, sewerage maintenance and several administrative functions of the Municipal Corporation, causing inconvenience to residents in some areas of the city.
