Sanitation workers call-off strike as govt assures action on demands

Gurugram sanitation workers ended a 14-day strike after the Haryana government promised to address their demands for regularization and better wages by June 30.

Sanitation workers of the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) called off their strike on Thursday, the 14th day, after the Haryana government agreed to look into their demands, including regularisation and better wages, the workers’ representative said.

Around 3,980 sanitation workers of the MCG had been on strike since May 1, affecting civic services such as road sweeping and garbage collection across the city.

Around 3,980 sanitation workers of the MCG had been on strike since May 1, affecting civic services such as road sweeping and garbage collection across the city.

Basant Kumar, president of the workers’ union – Haryana Sarv Karamchari Sangh – said the union leaders met with representatives of the Haryana government on Wednesday, who assured that action on the workers’ demands would be taken by June 30.

The union has demanded regularisation of nearly 13,000 sanitation workers across the state, with over 3,500 in Gurugram. “If the demand is not met by June 30, we will resume the strike,” he said.

The union representative said that all workers will resume duties from Friday.

As part of their protest, the workers disrupted sanitation work being carried out by private contractors and dumped piles of garbage outside the old civic body office and the Civil Hospital over the last two weeks.

The strike coincided with a surprise visit by the Swachh Survekshan survey team earlier this month. The annual survey by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs under the flagship Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban evaluates the performance of Urban Local Bodies in cleanliness.

A senior MCG official said that with workers now returning to duty, the city’s sanitation situation is expected to improve.