Himachal: Heritage society workers cry foul over suspension of 10% pay hike

Under the banner of Centre of Indian Trade Union (CITU), hundreds of workers from Shimla Environment, Heritage Conservation and Beautification (SEHB) Society, including garbage collectors, supervisors and sanitation workers, staged a protest outside the DC office and demanded the Municipal Corporation to immediately revoke the decision to halt the 10 per cent annual increment of the workers.

They also demanded the implementation of a minimum monthly wage of Rs 26,000, in line with the 15th Indian Labour Conference, Supreme Court’s 1992 ruling, and 7th Pay Commission recommendations by Justice Mathur, payment for extra work, provision of 39 legal leaves annually and the inclusion of outsourced workers under SEHB, with timely salary disbursal and regularisation of SEHB

Society workers.

During the protest, CITU state president Vijender Mehra said the MC was violating the bylaws of SEHB Society by halting the salary increment. He said the corporation had decided to spend an amount of Rs 2.5 crore on QR code for property mapping while the same funds could be spent to hire 150 additional workers, which would ease the workload of existing staff, and maintain better cleanliness in the town. Mehra said the same amount could be used to provide Rs 15,000 annual bonuses to all SEHB and outsourced workers for three years.

He further accused the MC of misusing the funds and alleged that the workers were being exploited and mentally and financially harassed as salaries were not being paid to them on time.

After the protest, a delegation of workers met Shimla MC Mayor Surender Chauhan, who assured them that their demands would be met soon and their pending salaries and increment would be provided to them within the next few days. After being assured by the Mayor, the workers called off their strike. However, they also warned that they would intensify their movement and again go on a strike if their demands were not met by May 20.