Date:28/11/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/11/28/stories/2008112850990300.htm

Andhra Pradesh

Non-payment of salaries decried

Correspondent

VIZIANAGARAM: Members of the Vizianagaram District Municipal and Panchayat Employees’ Union on Thursday staged a dharna at the Collector’s office in protest against non-payment of salaries to municipal contract workers for the past two to seven months in the four municipalities in the district. Some 500 workers, including regular employees, are on rolls of the four civic bodies.

The government issued GO 1249 on September 9 this year fixing wages of contract workers at Rs.3,900 per month but the order was not implemented so far. The government also promised to pay salaries through the Treasury to regular employees. This was also not implemented, said B. Suryanarayana, president of the union. He said that contract workers in Salur municipality were on strike since Wednesday.

He demanded that in addition to payment of salaries, PF and ESI facilities and uniforms be provided to contract workers.