2,000 Pimpri-Chinchwad wastepickers win minimum wage battle

The Kagad Kach Patra Kashtakari Panchayat, an organisation representing waste pickers, have won a five-year battle with the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation

The Kagad Kach Patra Kashtakari Panchayat, an organisation representing waste pickers, have won a five-year battle with the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC), to claim outstanding dues.

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The panchayat claimed that the corporation had not paid waste pickers a minimum wage for a period of five years.

“With this new change, which was made applicable on January 1, every worker will get an increase of Rs 4,500 per month,” said Rekha Sapkal, member of the Kagad Kach Patra Kashtakari Panchayat .

At least 2,000 workers, including waste pickers, sweepers and toilet cleaners, will benefit from this decision, said Sapkal.

According to the State department of industries, energy and labour, a Maharashtra notification dated February 24, 2015, was appended to the Minimum Wages Act, 1948, titled “Employees employed in employment under any local authority”, which specified that every contract worker whose principal employer is a local authority (except for gram panchayat) must be paid minimum wages.

Vikas Panvelkar, additional labour commissioner, Pune, issued a clarification letter to PCMC on November 19, 2019, that the matter be resolved.

Shravan Hardikar, PCMC commissioner made the order applicable to all waste pickers on February 12, 2020.

“We appreciate this move, but the delay is unjustified. The municipal corporation, as principal employer, is responsible for paying correct wages. We are sure the court will rule in our favour if we were to claim minimum wage arrears, but that means that waste pickers will have to go through the court procedure at length,” said one panchayat member, requesting anonymity.

Vijaya Chavan, another panchayat member said, “We are grateful for the increase in wages. During the Swach Sarvekshan we were made to work long hours.”