Responding to a call given by the state committee of the Punjab Sanitation Workers’ Union, sanitation workers of the local municipal council staged a protest in front of the MC gate and went on an indefinite strike here on Wednesday. They also raised slogans against the state government.
Women sanitation workers also joined this strike. Municipal council sanitation workers, sewermen, gardeners, computer workers, etc, participated in the protest led by Balwinder Singh, president of the local unit of the union.
Besides, employee leaders Baljinder Singh Dobalian, Davinder Singh and Satnam Singh; Nachhattar Singh Pannu of the district president of the Kirti Kisan Union; Partap Singh Thathgarh; and Judge Pal, Ram Prakash, Tilak Raj, Sonia and Bholi, all representatives of the sanitation workers, also addressed.
The protesting employees demanded the regularisation of the services of the contractual employees, restoration of the old pension scheme, immediate payment of pay commission arrears, jobs for kin of those employees who died in service and the abolition of the contract system.
Additionally, the workers urged the government to release pending instalments of dearness allowance (DA) along with arrears without further delay.
They warned that the union will be forced to intensify its struggle if their demands are not fulfilled. The sanitation workers of the municipal council, Patti, and the nagar panchayats of Bhikhiwind and Khemkaran too joined the indefinite strike from today.
