Sanitation Workers Stage Protest in Madurai Demanding Immediate Action on Long-Pending Issues
Members of the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) and Labour Liberation Front (LLF) organized a significant demonstration in front of the Madurai corporation zone-2 office on Wednesday, calling for the urgent resolution of longstanding demands affecting sanitation workers across various employment categories.
Comprehensive Demands from Multiple Worker Categories
The protest saw participation from permanent, daily wage, consolidated pay, and contract sanitation workers from the zone, all united in their demand for immediate attention to their pending concerns. The unions presented a detailed list of requirements that have remained unaddressed despite repeated appeals.
Key demands included:
- Expedited processing of pending leave, selection grade, and special grade dues for permanent sanitation workers in the northern zone
- Inclusion of rural panchayat consolidated pay sanitation workers in the regular pay scale structure
- Immediate implementation of the high court order to regularize 389 daily wage sanitation workers
- Establishment of waste disposal sites at the zonal level to replace the current practice of transporting waste to Vellakkal, which would save significant time and reduce fuel costs
Union Leaders Express Frustration Over Delayed Resolution
M Balasubramanian, general secretary of CITU Madurai corporation workers' union, and S Bhoominathan, district organizer of LLF sanitation workers' development union, jointly addressed the gathering, expressing frustration over the prolonged neglect of these critical issues.
"Despite our repeated demands and representations, these fundamental concerns affecting the livelihoods and working conditions of sanitation workers have remained unresolved," stated the union leaders. "The current situation requires immediate intervention and concrete action from the corporation authorities."
Corporation Official Provides Assurance with Caveats
A senior corporation official responded to the protesting workers, offering assurances that their demands would receive proper attention. The official committed to taking up the matters with the corporation commissioner and working toward resolution within the following week.
However, the official also noted that some requests involve policy-level changes that would require additional time for implementation. "We recognize the urgency of these matters and will try to expedite the process as much as possible," the official stated, adding that efforts would be made to address the workers' concerns and provide them with appropriate reassurances.
The protest highlights the ongoing challenges faced by sanitation workers in municipal systems and underscores the need for systematic reforms in worker welfare policies and operational efficiencies within urban local bodies.
