MADURAI: Members of Tamil Nadu Cleanliness Workers Rights Association, working in village panchayats, have sought equal pay to that of cleanliness workers in corporations. Further, they demanded the State Government to regularise their jobs and provide benefits on par with the corporation workers.
Speaking to TNIE, Association State President P Nagarathinam said despite working in Kallikudi panchayat union for over nine years, her wage of Rs 6,000 does not meet the minimum wage fixed by the government and week off, EPFO and other benefits have been denied. "A corporation worker gets over Rs 20,000 as salary among other benefits. The difference in wages is injustice as both workers in rural and urban areas do the same work. The government regularised clerks working in panchayats, but we have been urging the government to regularise our work for over 20 years. We were among the frontline warriors during the Covid pandemic," she said.
The association's State General Secretary Muneeswaran said there was great disparity in village panchayats to that of the corporation. "The appointed workers in panchayats are not working here. Hence, SC workers are burdened with their work. Sometimes the salary gets pending for a long time. All such irregularities need to be cleared," he said.
Responding to this issue, on request of anonymity, an official said regularising cleanliness workers in village panchayats is the State government's policy decision. Various resolutions have been passed, such as appointing workers according to the number of residents. Supply of cleaning aid and precautionary tools. Also, strict action must be taken against officials and panchayat leaders who are insulted because of their caste," he said.