Section of MCD workers go on strike demanding timely salary

A section of MCD sanitation workers today went on strike pressing for fulfillment of their "long-pending" demands, including timely payment of salaries, amid the festive season.
"The strike partially affected garbage collection and other sanitation works in East Delhi Municipal Corporation although it was not felt in North and South MCDs," a senior municipal corporation officer said.
While one organisation of sanitation workers claimed large participation in the strike, another countered it saying that they were not participating.
"Sanitation workers in all the three MCDs are on strike from today demanding regularization of daily wagers working for over a decade, timely payment of salaries, arrears, cashless health card and other long pending demands," Rajender Mewati, General Secretary of United Front of MCD Employees Associations said.

North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) Mayor Ravinder Gupta, however, said the sanitation staff of the civic body are on duty and it was a "rumour" that they are striking.
"The sanitation staff has been paid their salary. Their demand of payment of arrears is also under consideration and efforts are being made to meet the same," he said.

Joint Front of MCD Unions General Secretary Santlal Chawariya said the sanitation workers affiliated to the Front were not on strike.
"Earlier too we had decided against strike in view of dengue menace in the city and festival season. We will take a final decision about the strike in our meeting on October 26," he said.

There are about 63,000 sanitation workers, including the regular and daily wagers, employed by the three MCDs in the city, a municipal officer said.