Garbage Workers Take Drastic Action Over Unpaid Salaries
In a dramatic protest over unpaid wages, workers employed by a door-to-door garbage collection agency in Vadodara's western regions have taken seven garbage collection vehicles and driven them to Kotda village in Madhya Pradesh. The workers claim they haven't received their salaries for eight consecutive months, forcing them to take this extreme step.
Social Media Videos Reveal Worker Plight
The labor dispute came to public attention after workers began circulating videos on social media platforms. These videos highlighted the desperate situation faced by 27 employees who have been working without regular payment. The workers left earlier this week with the vans, including some newly procured vehicles that were scheduled to be deployed starting December 1.
According to the workers' claims, the financial strain of working for months without payment became unbearable. The situation reached a breaking point when they decided to drive the vehicles all the way to Kotda village in Thandla taluka, Jhabua district of Madhya Pradesh, approximately 300 kilometers from Vadodara.
Contractor Payment Dispute Creates Confusion
A Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC) official stated that only the contractor would know the exact number of vehicles taken in this unusual protest. The same garbage collection agency had recently been awarded a new contract and relies on a labor contractor to supply manpower.
The agency claims it has been making regular payments to the labor contractor, while the affected workers expressed uncertainty about whether the agency or the labor contractor should be held responsible for the delayed wages. This payment structure has created confusion about where exactly the payment chain is breaking down.
The garbage collection vans taken by workers represent significant municipal assets. The inclusion of newly procured vehicles in this protest indicates the severity of the workers' frustration and the impact this will have on garbage collection services in western Vadodara.
