CHENNAI: The conservancy workers from Ambattur zone organised a strike on Monday demanding wage revision and basic amenities in their respective divisions. Ambattur is one of the five non-privatised zones in Chennai, where sanitation work is undertaken by conservancy workers from the National Urban Livelihood Mission (NULM).
More than 200 workers from several divisions in Ambattur abstained from work on Monday, pressing for various demands.
“We don’t even have basic amenities like a proper toilet or a dress changing room in many of the divisions. The High Court had ordered a revision of our wages. But, we are yet to receive any word about this from the corporation,” said Deepa, a sanitation worker from Ambattur.
The Madras High Court had in a writ petition directed authorities concerned to hike their daily wage to Rs 725. However, the wage hike is yet to be implemented and workers are demanding it to be fulfilled along with arrears.
C P Mohan, a labour rights activist told TNIE, “The corporation is very eager to privatise the remaining zones too. But, they have not executed it yet owing to a case that we have filed. The conservancy workers should be given permanent jobs as was promised in the DMK poll manifesto.”