Municipal engineering workers' protest for wage hike enters fourth day
The indefinite strike by the municipal engineering employees working in various departments entered fourth day on June 28. The employees are demanding a wage hike and implementation of welfare schemes.
Municipal engineering workers engaged in parks, town planning, street lighting, and computer operators and vehicle depot mechanics participated in the strike, organised by the Municipal Corporation Workers and Employees Union, affiliated to Centre of Indian Trade Unions(CITU), at Dharna Chowk in Vijayawada on June 28 (Saturday).
Addressing the protesting workers, CPI (M) leader Ch. Babu Rao criticised the TDP-led NDA government in the State for failing to address the concerns of municipal workers. 'The prices of essential goods, electricity charges and taxes are increasing, but wages for these employees remains the same,' Mr. Babu Rao said.
He demanded to know how many times the salaries of MLAs and Ministers were increased. 'Everyone wants drinking water, street lights and likes to see the greenery enhanced in parks. But the government does not care about those who ensure that these facilities are being provided,' Mr. Babu Rao said, adding that to the government, the plants in the park seem to be more important than the lives of these workers who take care of them.
The protesting employees also alleged that many government welfare schemes remained elusive to them. They are not eligible for schemes such as Thalliki Vandanam, social pension, pension for differently abled, they said while adding that they do not have exemption from electricity charges too.
The Union president Donepudi Kasinath said that the government should follow Government Order 36, issued during the previous regime, and increase the employees' honorarium to anywhere between ₹21,000 and ₹24,000 per month.
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