Civic workers’ union protests outside Mayor’s residence

The Municipal Corporation Employees Union, led by Chairman Naresh Dhingan, held a protest outside the Mayor’s residence here on Wednesday.

Protesters used drums and clapping to voice their demands. Some protesters said they needed to awaken the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government from deep slumber to address the pressing issues confronting the city’s civic workforce.

Dhingan highlighted the incomplete regularisation of municipal staff was the primary grievance. He pointed out that while the Punjab Government moved to regularise sanitation workers and sewermen three years back, over 800 employees were unjustly excluded on the grounds of being over the age limit. Furthermore, a substantial number of Class IV workers, including drivers and ‘beldars’ (laborers), have yet to be granted permanent status, he added.

Dhingan criticised the civic body’s hiring practices, saying that the Aam Aadmi Party had promised to abolish the contract employment system across Punjab and institute direct, regular recruitment prior to the last Assembly elections. “The MC is still proceeding with contract-based hiring, which is entirely unacceptable to our union,” he said.

Additionally, the union raised the alarm over the civic administration’s decision to discontinue the services of the Valmiki community — who have traditionally handled door-to-door garbage collection for generations — in favour of a private company The Mayor acknowledged the concerns, confirming that the Corporation House had already passed and forwarded a resolution to the higher authorities seeking the regularisation of the overage employees.