Jaipur witnessed a significant development in the ongoing labor dispute as thousands of sanitation workers decided to immediately cease work following a state-level meeting of the Sanyukt Valmiki Evan Safayi Shramik Sangh. The union gathered at the Jaipur Municipal Corporation headquarters in Lal Kothi on Tuesday to strategize about getting their long-pending demands fulfilled.
Massive Participation in State-Level Meeting
More than 500 sanitation workers from various districts across Rajasthan attended the crucial meeting that lasted several hours. After extensive discussions and deliberations, the union leadership announced immediate action that would significantly impact urban sanitation services across the state.
The union declared that approximately 5,000 sanitation workers in Jaipur would stop work immediately, while workers in districts such as Ajmer and Bhilwara would join the strike from next week. This escalation comes after what union leaders describe as repeated failures by authorities to address their concerns.
Longstanding Demands Remain Unaddressed
Nand Kishore Dandoriya, the union president, expressed the workers' frustration with the situation. "We have been sitting on relay hunger strikes and even indefinite fasts for several days", Dandoriya stated. "The workers are left with no option but to go on strike now."
The key demands that have been repeatedly raised include:
- Regularization of contractual workers
- Restarting stalled recruitment processes
- Ensuring timely promotions for eligible employees
- Providing jobs to dependants of critically ill employees
- Guaranteeing proper overtime payments as per regulations
According to union representatives, these issues have been brought to the authorities' attention multiple times, but no concrete action has been taken to resolve them.
Division Among Workers and Official Response
Not all sanitation workers have joined the strike action. A separate group led by Pawan Chaudhary, who is a sanitation worker union's election candidate, has distanced itself from the strike. Chaudhary stated, "We do not support this strike. The corporation is already processing several matters related to PF and salary. Nearly 2,600 of our workers will continue to maintain the city's sanitation services."
This division among workers could potentially reduce the strike's impact on urban sanitation services in Jaipur. Meanwhile, the municipal corporation has responded cautiously to the development.
Praveen Kumar, JMC's health deputy commissioner (II), commented on the situation, saying, "No decision has been taken so far. We will discuss how many of their demands can be accepted and in what manner."
The union has made its position clear that the strike will continue until they receive a formal response and written assurance from the authorities regarding their demands. With thousands of workers participating and more districts expected to join, this labor action could significantly affect urban cleanliness across Rajasthan if not resolved promptly.
