Contract workers to go on indefinite strike from Feb 1; Water supply, sanitation likely to be affected

Mangaluru: Contract workers employed by the city’s local bodies including garbage truck drivers, water supply assistants, loaders, cleaners, helpers, and sewer workers, have decided to go on an indefinite strike from February 1.

They are demanding that the local bodies make direct payments of wages to the contract laborers just like Pourakarmikas and gradual permanent work benefits.

Coastal division coordinator of the Karnataka State Corporation, City Council, Municipality, Town Panchayat Contract Employees’ Association B.K. Annappa Karekkadu at a press conference said that more than 15,000 contract workers across the state will go on strike. Contract employees of 330 urban local bodies of the state will also participate in the strike, he said.

Services such as drinking water supply and sanitation services will be stopped from February 1 and an indefinite dharna will be held, he said and added that more than 900 persons will participate in the protest in the district and a ‘jatha and sit-in’ will be held in Mangaluru.

“We welcome the decision on direct recruitment of civic workers. But we demand the fair and equitable rights of outsourced employees. The policy of dividing and ruling those working in the same department is unfair,” he said.

Further, he demanded that the shortcomings should be rectified and the contract employees should be given permanent employment gradually on the pattern followed for civil workers.

Mangaluru Safai Karmacharis Association President Narayan Shetty was present.