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BMC ordered to make permanent 2,700 of its contract workers

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The industrial court has ordered Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to make 2,700 of the contract labourers in conservancy department permanent employees.

In its Nov 13 order, the court has also asked BMC to pay each of these labourers arrears for the period between 240th day of their respective service to the present day.

A permanent BMC labourer gets around Rs 22,000 as salary as against Rs 8,000 of a contract worker. According to Kachra Vahtuk Shramik Sangh, the organization which had been contesting the case since 2007, the arrears (difference in salaries paid to permanent and contractual labourers) during the period would work out to a minimum Rs 5.5 lakh.

The union had approached the court following BMC's alleged anti-contract labourer stand and denial of benefits.

"Even though permanent staff and contract labourers do the same work for the same number of hours, they are not eligible for due benefits. First of all, it is wrong on the part of a governing agency like BMC to carry out cleanliness work, its constitutional responsibility, by appointing people on contract. Labourers are not provided gloves, raincoat, gum boot, pension, etc. Their salaries are below the minimum average payment," Milind Ranade, general secretary of the sangh, said, alleging that IAS officers in BMC were trying to deny labourers benefits by finding loopholes in the laws. He also said BMC must accept the court order as well as abolish the (illegal) contract system.

Civic officials, meanwhile, reacted cautiously to the development. "We will study the order and decide," an official said.

BMC conservancy staffers undertake essential works like removing waste generated in the city daily. Mumbai generates around 10,000 tonnes of waste a day.

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