MAPUSA
Contract workers engaged for garbage collection in Mapusa Municipal Council (MMC) went on a flash strike on Wednesday, demanding a hike in pay.
At least 200 workers, including women, refused to collect door-to-door garbage in the second half of the day to highlight their plight.
The daily wage workers informed that some of them have been working for more than a decade but they have not received any hike in payment from the time they had joined.
They further complained that on several occasions the civic body delayed in making their monthly payment.
“We cannot run a household with the kind of remuneration provided to us by the municipal council. Our only demand is to increase our payment. Last time the civic authorities promised to hike our salaries but they are yet to fulfil that promise,” said Laxman Naik, one of the contract workers.
For the moment, the workers are getting paid Rs 499 per day while they are demanding that it should be hiked and made Rs 800 per day.
“Besides the high cost of living in the State, we have to also shell out for the room rent. The room owner demands payment on time or else asks us to leave,” said another worker.
Several others informed that on many occasions they had to face harassment under the hands of the municipal council staff who behaved inhumanly towards them.
“We are literally treated like dogs. Nobody is concerned about our plight. Sometimes, we have to hear abuses even from the house owners from whom we pick up waste,” another worker rued.
Chief Officer Kabir Shirgaonkar informed that he will hold a discussion with the workers on Thursday and try to resolve their issues.
“First of all, those engaged in garbage collection cannot go on strike. In any case, I will talk to them and look into their demands,” Shirgaonkar told The Goan.
