Municipal workers’ strike enters 9th day; garbage piles up

Vijayawada: Municipal workers continued their strike across the state on Thursday demanding the government to resolve their pending problems and fulfil the assurances given by the YSRCP government. Thousands of municipal workers under the auspices of Municipal Workers and Employees Federation began the strike on December 26 seeking increase in wages in eight departments.

As a result of strike, garbage is piling up in many colonies and public places in municipalities and corporations across the state raising stink.

Minister for municipal administration Audimulapu Suresh on Thursday night invited the union leaders for the talks. The Municipal Workers and Employees Federation general secretary V Uma Maheswara Rao and other leaders decided to meet the minister.

The workers are demanding the government to pay wages of Rs 18,500 to the drivers of the Clean Andhra Pradesh Corporation. They are also seeking implementation of welfare schemes to municipal workers who are drawing lesser wages.

IFTU, TNTUC and other trade unions are extending support to the municipal workers. The workers continued the strike for the ninth day on Thursday. On the other hand, the municipalities and corporations are taking the help of private workers to clean the cities and towns and shift the garbage to the dumping yards. The municipal workers and employees are strongly condemning the decision of the government and opposing the work by private persons in the civic bodies. The state government earlier also held talks to resolve the problem but failed.