GVMC contract workers stage dharna in Vizag

Visakhapatnam: The Greater Visakha Municipal Corporation Contract Workers Union staged a dharna under the aegis of CITU state leaders here on Saturday.

The workers alleged that the GVMC and state government had assured in the past to fulfil their demands but in vain.

Speaking on the occasion, CITU state secretary B Uma Maheshwar Rao said that the GVMC had failed to fulfil the demands like paying arrears, allocating holidays, issuing identity cards, provident fund and providing ESI facility to the contract workers and their family members which were stated in the GO No 333.

As per the Wage Board GO RT No 1615, the GVMC has to pay Rs 15,402 and it is paying only Rs 11,000 to the workers and by deducting two per cent from the wages in the name of income tax.

He demanded that the government follow the Supreme Court guidelines and provide justice to the municipal contract workers.

He also alleged that the GVMC had failed to provide the safety equipment for the civil municipal contract workers who were working at various building constructions.

The CITU leaders warned that if the state government fails to implement the Supreme Court guidelines immediately, they, along with municipal contract workers, would intensify the agitation.