Trichy: With 70% of the city’s residential and commercial properties relying on sanitary workers to segregate waste for recycling, contractual workers are overburdened and often forced to work extra hours to complete daily tasks. Employed under a ‘no work, no pay’ category, these workers, who cannot afford to take leave, expect the local body to revise their salaries in line with inflation.
Contractual Workers Face Increasing Workload
Since 2023, Trichy Corporation has outsourced solid waste management, spending an average of Rs 4 crore per year. This amount sees a minimum 10% annual hike due to rising operational costs, but workers’ wages have remained unchanged for two years. “We report for work by around 6 am, and due to delays in segregating waste, we finish by 4-5 pm. We receive no extra pay for these additional hours. The workload is increasing, but not the salary,” said a contractual worker requesting anonymity.
Wage Disparity and Demands
Workers receive Rs 15,000 per month as salary, excluding benefits, and are unpaid for any leave taken—significantly lower than permanent workers. “We demand the government pay Rs 26,000 as a minimum monthly salary for contract sanitary workers. Since the permanent workforce is declining, contract workers are diverted to compensate for manpower loss, so they should receive a minimum wage,” said K Suresh, a CPI councillor.
Workforce Composition
As of March 2026, there were 800 permanent workers, some of whom have retired. Approximately 1,800 contractual sanitary workers are employed. Permanent workers, directly under Trichy Corporation’s payroll, clean roads, clear stormwater drains, and engage in special cleaning drives. Outsourced contractual workers handle doorstep waste collection and segregation.
