Municipal Workers Hold Mass Dharna at Proddatur Municipal Office
Union demands scrapping of privatisation, permanent status for APCOS workers as per High Court order, implementation of equal pay for equal work
PRODDATUR – AP: Doruvu Paul Jagan Babu – Assistant Chief Editor: Responding to the state committee call, CITU-affiliated AP Municipal Workers Union, municipal workers and employees staged a large-scale dharna in front of the Proddatur Municipal Office on Friday, pressing for a comprehensive charter of demands including job security, wage revision and retirement benefits.
The protest, held at all municipal offices across the state as part of the statewide agitation, saw large participation of workers at Proddatur.
Main demands placed before government
The union leaders said the government must immediately address long-pending issues of municipal workers:
Scrap privatisation: The union demanded that privatisation of municipal services be withdrawn completely.
Job regularisation of APCOS workers: As per the High Court order, all APCOS workers should be made permanent.
Equal pay for equal work: As per the Supreme Court order, equal pay for equal work should be implemented for all municipal workers.
Retirement benefits and social security: APCOS workers should be given Rs 10 lakh retirement benefit, Rs 10,000 monthly pension, and a job to one person in the family on retirement. Families of deceased workers should be given a job on compassionate grounds and Rs 2 lakh insurance amount should be paid.
Wages and inclusion of Covid workers: The 12th PRC should be implemented and salaries of APCOS workers should be enhanced. Covid workers should be paid Rs 18,500 as per SS rates and merged into APCOS.
Work conditions and safety gear: Workers have not been given uniforms for two years, coconut oil, soap and slippers for one year. The union demanded immediate supply of uniforms and safety materials. Work tools, pushcarts, door-to-door garbage collection bins, and broomsticks should be procured. Municipal vehicles should be repaired immediately.
Warning of intensified agitation
The leaders warned that if the problems are not resolved, the union will field CITU candidates in every ward in the forthcoming municipal elections and win as councillors to resolve the issues, and will be forced to go on a large-scale strike.
The dharna was led by union leaders Satyanarayana, Salman, Chanti, Vijay Kumar, Raghavendra, Ravi Kumar, Gurramma, Ramadevi, Mohan, Obaiah, Suresh, Srikanth and a large number of municipal workers participated.
