Date:30/11/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/11/30/stories/2008113052360300.htm

Karnataka - Mysore

Corporation workers to stop cleaning work from today

Staff Correspondent

— PHOTO: M.A. SRIRAM

Persistent: Mysore City Corporation workers staging a dharna in front of the corporation office on Saturday.

MYSORE: In the hope that the Mysore City Corporation (MCC) would hike their wages during the negotiation meeting held with Mysore Nagara Palike Pourakarmikara Sangha (MNPPS), temporary and contract workers cleaned the city on Saturday, despite their decision to suspend work. But their hopes were dashed when the talks between corporation authorities and MNPPS failed to yield results.

The dharna, launched by MNPPS demanding implementation of long-pending demands of temporary and contract workers, on November 24 entered the sixth day. MNPPS has resolved to intensify agitations by suspending cleaning work from Sunday to exhort pressure on the authorities to settle their issues. Frustrated with the apathy of the authorities, pourkarmikas have also decided to take out a procession on December 1 and storm the corporation office.

Apathy

The General Secretary of MNPPKS, B. Peddanna, alleged that despite temporary and contract labourers of MCC urging the authorities to address their problems for several months now, neither the Mayor nor the Commissioner were showing any interest .

The sangha had submitted memorandums to the Mayor, Commissioner and the State Government to fulfil their demands on July 12, 2008. The issue was discussed in at the council meeting on July 20, 2008 and it was resolved to pay Rs. 3,750 for contract workers. When the sangha decided to launch an agitation protesting the inordinate delay in implementing the promise, the Mayor met the office-bearers of the sangha and promised to implement the resolution from October 1. “But he failed in implementing it,” he said.

On October 1, the Commissioner again held a meeting with the sangha and assured them that their demands would be met in seven days. That too, did not materialise, he added.

Mr. Peddanna said that though the sangha decided to suspend cleaning operations from Thursday, the pourakarmikas stuck to cleaning work as a result of talks with the corporation officials. “We don’t know what is preventing the Commissioner from implementing the decision of the council,” he said.