All unions call off sanitation stir, staff to lift garbage from today

Despite being a holiday on Thursday, they agreed to lift garbage and clean streets. We will look into their genuine demands.

RANBIR SINGH, EDMC commisioner

NEWDELHI: Sanitation workers in east Delhi finally called off their strike on Wednesday, 15 days after they stopped work in support of various demands.

They were protesting nonpayment of bonus and arrears pending since 2003 and demanding cashless medical insurance.

The last batch of striking workers announced they would resume duties after meeting standing committee chairman Pravesh Sharma and Ranbir Singh, commissioner, East Delhi Municipal Corporation (EDMC).

Ninety per cent of the protesting sanitation workers had resumed their jobs on October 18 after they were paid bonus and assured that their demands regarding arrears, health insurance and regularising sanitation workers (enrolled till 2003) would be fulfilled.

But one of the three unions - the MCD Swachhata Karamchari Union - continued to protest.

Sanjay Gehlot, president of the union said, “We have agreed to join work after EDMC officials assured to regularise daily wagers employed till 2017, organise fresh elections for sanitation unions in a month’s time and take back workers enrolled till 2006.”

“Despite being a holiday on Thursday, they agreed to lift garbage and clean streets. We will look into their genuine demands,” Ranbir Singh. “said.

Singh assured he would refer the union’s name for the committee that would be formed by next week and would have representatives from all three corporations and sanitation unions.

It will work on issues related to sanitation workers and resolve them in a time-bound manner.