Plan to regulate sanitation workers’ unions
East Delhi Municipal Corporation (EDMC) on Friday passed a proposal to regulate multiple sanitation workers’ unions under its jurisdiction.
According to the official, there are 28 unions in east Delhi and out of them only 17 are recognised-nine approved by the erstwhile unified MCD and eight by EDMC.
The rest 11 are illegal and have both regularised and non-regularised sanitation workers as their members.
“The problem is that all these associations go on strike at will or put undue pressure on authorities to fulfil their demands, which ultimately affects the day-to-day functioning of the civic agency,” said standing committee chairman Pravesh Sharma.
“At least 2,000 workers associated with these unions don’t go to work and just exploit the resources to fulfil their interest. We want to end their situation and elect only one union that would represent all,” said Sharma.
A proposal was passed during the standing committee’s meeting. It will be placed before the house for final approval soon.
“The members of the union will be elected through ‘secret ballot elections’. As far as eligibility is concerned, only unions/ sanitation workers who are part of EDMC and working for the welfare of employees in east Delhi can contest in the elections,” said the official.
The decision will help systematise the role of trade unions and help sanitation workers voice their concerns through right platform, said official.
The civic agency plans to implement the decision by next month and intimate the workers through notices and advertisements in newspapers, if required, the official said.
To deal with resistance from the sanitation workers after the announcement, the EDMC is chalking out action plan.
“We will surely receive resistance from trade unions, especially their leaders, once the information is made public. After the development, they would lose their importance. But we are ready for challenges and may take legal help, if required,” said EDMC official.
There are 16,000 permanent sanitation workers in east body and associated with various unions. These unions have gone on strike for five times in the past three years, demanding regular payment of salary and pending arrears.