MADURAI: Bringing to an end their three-day stand off with Ourland, the private firm which is handling solid waste management in the city, sanitation workers suspended their protest on Friday after senior corporation officials assured them that steps would be taken to make the contractor release their wage arrears and address other issues.
Tensions flared up between sanitation workers and Ourland on Wednesday after sanitation workers staged a protest accusing the agency of not treating them properly. Consequently, the contractor terminated the services of 23 workers, mostly drivers, on Thursday.
Condemning this, workers affiliated with the CITU and LPF trade unions staged a protest at the corporation's head office. The protestors claimed that the agency had dismissed staff for alleged poor performance, while withholding wages. Workers said the dismissal was unfair and demanded reinstatement of those fired, as well as payment of the pending salaries.
After senior officials told the workers that their demands would be addressed, the workers suspended their protest.
M Balasubramaniam, secretary of the CITU Sanitation Workers Unit in Madurai, said the corporation had pledged that the owed salaries would be paid soon, and that the dismissed drivers would be reinstated to their posts within next week. “If the promises are not fulfilled, we will launch a much larger protest on Monday,” he warned, urging Ourland to treat workers with respect and fairness. A senior Madurai Corporation official said several rounds of talks were held with workers, and representatives of the the contractors. Officials said sanitation operations resumed on Friday using available drivers and personnel, though residents say many areas remained uncleared, with garbage still piled up even after complaints.