Hundreds of municipal workers under the banner of the Karnataka State Municipal Workers Union affiliated to Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) staged a protest outside the Kalaburagi City Corporation on Thursday demanding regularisation of all municipal workers, implementation of equal pay for equal work, abolition of the contract labour system and provision of basic welfare facilities.

The protesters submitted a memorandum addressed to the Chief Minister through the district administration and the Kalaburagi City Corporation raising a 16-point charter of demands concerning the welfare and service conditions of municipal workers.

Addressing the gathering, union honorary president K. Neela said that the State government has, in 2016-17, decided to abolish the contract labour system and regularise sanitation workers.

However, drivers, cleaners and sweepers in Kalaburagi continue to be engaged through contractors despite the government’s decision, she said.

“Officials have promised us that the process of regularising workers currently under the direct payment system and bringing contract drivers, cleaners and sweepers under the direct payment system will be completed within a week. They have also assured us of implementing our remaining demands and preventing any form of harassment of civic workers. We expect the authorities to honour these commitments without delay, failing which the union will be compelled to intensify its agitation,” she said.

The memorandum said that although 936 workers have been brought under the direct payment system in Kalaburagi, the process of granting them permanent worker status remained stalled. It said that sanitation workers, sewer workers, solid waste handlers, drivers, park workers, water supply staff and other municipal employees continue to work under difficult and unsafe conditions without adequate protective equipment and welfare facilities.

Among the key demands are immediate regularisation of all contract, direct-payment and daily-wage municipal workers, abolition of the contract system, implementation of equal pay for equal work, payment of revised minimum wages with arrears, provision of safety gear, health insurance and accident insurance, prohibition of manual scavenging, special facilities for women workers, housing and educational assistance, pension benefits and recruitment of at least 1,000 additional civic workers to meet the growing needs of the city.

The union also sought the immediate release of pending wages of drivers, loaders and sweepers and demanded that all forms of harassment of civic workers be stopped.

CITU district president M.B. Sajjan, vice-president Nagappa Rayachurkar, Dalit Rights Committee president Sudham Dhanni, secretary Pandurang Mavinakar, Building Workers Union district president Shrimant Biradar, Janavadi Mahila Sanghatane State vice-president Meenakshi Bali, DYFI State president Lavitra, SFI leader Imamsab Nadaf, Pradeep and Tayanna, among others, extended support to the agitation.