Corporation workers stage protest seeking arrears, lack of workplace safety

The Federation of Madurai Corporation Trade Unions launched a formal protest here on Wednesday against the Corporation administration, submitting a 17-point charter of demands aimed at resolving deep-seated grievances among the municipal workforce.

The petition highlighted the ‘systemic failure’ of the administration to protect the rights of permanent, consolidated pay, and contract workers who serve as the backbone of the city’s sanitation and administrative infrastructure.

Accusing the private contracting firm, M. Balasubramanian, general secretary, CITU-Madurai Corporation, alleged that ₹70,000 in Employees Provident Fund deductions have been withheld from the salaries of sanitation workers and drivers employed through the company.

He also demanded regularisation of all categories of workers.

Other key demands of the protesters included granting permanent positions to 389 daily wage sanitation workers, bringing consolidated pay workers from recently annexed village panchayats into a formal time-scale pay bracket, immediate release of surrender leave salaries and selection grade arrears, specifically for zone 2 sanitation staff.

He also described the grim picture of daily operations, citing a critical shortage of light commercial vehicles and basic office equipment. “For those working on the graveyard shift, the lack of safety gear is a primary concern,” he claimed.

“Workers are being sent at night without even basic torches or safety equipment. We ask for the immediate procurement of protective gear,” he added.

Recognising the high-risk nature of sanitation work, Mr. Balasubramanian also proposed a robust social safety net, including death benefits, healthcare and education.

“Immediate financial assistance of ₹5 lakh for families of workers who die in service, mandatory medical camps every three months for all municipal staff and scholarship of ₹5,000 for the children of sanitation workers to support their schooling, should be granted to the workers,” he demanded.

The administrative demands also include filling vacant Assistant Commissioner posts through internal promotions and expediting compassionate ground appointments for the heirs of deceased employees.

The protesters emphasised that the issues were not new and have been raised repeatedly without significant resolution. They are now calling for a formal grievance redressal mechanism, requesting bi-monthly meetings between the contract company, the Corporation administration, and union representatives, they pointed out.