Staff calls off strike after North MCD offers to pay one month’s salary

New Delhi: Thousands of civic employees who had been protesting against non-payment of salaries on Tuesday called off their indefinite strike after a meeting with

New Delhi: Thousands of civic employees who had been protesting against non-payment of salaries on Tuesday called off their indefinite strike after a meeting with the civic authorities who agreed to pay pending salaries and pensions. Civic employees, majority of them from North Delhi Municipal Corporation, had gone on an indefinite strike on Monday against pending salaries of 3-4 months.

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AP Khan, convenor Confederation of MCD Employees Union, said they held a meeting with the north corporation mayor and other officials, who agreed to pay one month salary and one month pension before Diwali.

“We have decided to call off our strike after the administration agreed to consider our demands. As per the arrangement, one-month salary and pension will be released before Diwali and one month salary along with bonus and pension will be paid after Diwali. The corporation has also agreed to clear our remaining dues by November 30. This is a victory of the struggle of employees,” Khan said.

He added that all employees would resume work from Wednesday. Employees who participated in the strike include engineers, teachers, horticulture staff, ministerial staff, domestic breeding checkers (DBC), class 4 employees such as beldars and labourers. Sanitation employees, doctors and nurses had, however, did not join the strike.

Except for doctors, other health workers and sanitation staff, employees in north corporation had not been paid for last three months while pensions are pending for last six months. Similarly the salary pendency in East Delhi Municipal Corporation is one month while pensions are pending for last two months. There is no pendency of salaries in South Delhi Municipal Corporation.

Jai Prakash, mayor north corporation, said that salaries of employees would be released in a couple of days. “We had a meeting with the agitating employees and we have decided that one-month salary and one-month pension will be credited into accounts of employees in the next two days. We are arranging funds and remaining salaries will also be cleared after Diwali. After these assurances, agitating employees have called off their strike,” Prakash said.

Nirmal Jain, mayor EDMC, said that only one month salary is pending which will be given to the employees before Diwali.

Prior to this, nursing staff of North Corporation run hospitals had also gone on strike on November 2, which was called off on November 6 after their pending salaries were paid.