COIMBATORE: A group of sanitary workers of the Coimbatore City Municipal Corporation (CCMC) alleged that a few councillors are threatening them not to participate in the indefinite strike, which is set to begin on October 2. The sanitary workers federation has announced an indefinite strike from October 2 insisting on their 18-point charter of demands. This includes making the temporary employees permanent, wage hike, suspending the contract labour system, banning outsourcing of sanitary works, implementing the old pension scheme, weekly offs, promotions and rolling back the decision to privatise the sanitary works in the central zone. In this situation, some sanitary workers have raised a complaint that a few councillors are threatening the labourers, who are taking part in the strike.
A sanitary worker said, “A few councillors have been threatening the sanitary labourers across the city for taking part in the strike. Ward 21 councillor Poongodi’s husband Somasundaram called a group of workers in his ward and warned them that he would lay off them if they take part in the strike. He also said that the workers would face severe consequences.”
However, when contacted, both Poongodi and her husband Somasundaram denied the allegations. Somasundaram said, “I didn’t threaten anyone. I called the workers and asked them to reconsider their decision as the festival season is approaching. All their accusations are false.”
As none of the higher officials including the CCMC Commissioner and the Deputy Commissioner conducted a meeting with the representatives of the sanitary workers federation, the latter told that the strike would begin as announced.
CCMC Commissioner M Prathap told in a release, “Only a few workers’ associations have announced the strike. Many associations have given assurance in writing that they will not take part in it. Protesting may be the right of employees, but they should not prevent others from doing work, which will not be entertained. If there are instances that workers are being prevented from going to work, action will be taken."
"The primary demand of the protesters is to implement fixed wages. It is a policy decision to be taken by the government. We will implement it, once it is revised,” he added.