MCD staff warn of strike as talks with north corp over salaries end in deadlock

The North corporation, meanwhile, has called for a meeting to be convened under mayor Raja Iqbal Singh.

The final round of talks between an umbrella body of civic employees and the North Delhi Municipal Corporation over the non-payment of salaries for three months ended in gridlock on Friday evening. The union said thousands of municipal employees will begin an indefinite strike at the Civic Centre from Monday, demanding their salaries.

An MCD worker sprays disinfectant on a police vehicle (Representative image/HT PHOTO)

The North corporation, meanwhile, has called for a meeting to be convened under mayor Raja Iqbal Singh.

AP Khan, the convener of the Confederation of Municipal Corporation of Delhi Employees’ Union (CMCDEU), said North MCD officials could not provide a blueprint to regularise due payments.

“The mayor and others kept making false promises throughout the meeting. They didn’t pay any attention to our pleas that the other two corporations [the south and east bodies], have already issued a circular enhancing the dearness allowances for their employees and pensioners as per orders issued by the Centre. The talks failed as they were not ready to make any promises in writing regarding pending bonuses, house rent allowance and children education allowances,” he said.

North Delhi mayor Singh, however, said that all attempts are being made to make regular salary payment to its employees.

“The staff members are justified in asking for their dues, and efforts were being made to pay their salaries soon. Since we are fund-starved, we have no option other than to give assurances to our employees,” he said.

Chhail Bihari Goswami, leader of the North MCD house also said that the body is trying to get funds from all disbursing agencies.

Meanwhile, the finance ministry called on senior north MCD officials to discuss the feasibility of transferring some of the civic body’s properties to the income tax department in a bid to ease its financial distress.

“The proposal has been okayed verbally and we are expecting its written approval soon,” a North MCD official present in the meeting with the ministry said.