Erode’s conservancy workers withdraw indefinite strike, return to work

With Erode Corporation officials assuring existing conservancy workers that their services would not be terminated, the workers’ eight-day protest, which began as an indefinite strike was withdrawn, and the workers returned to work on Saturday.

With Erode Corporation officials assuring existing conservancy workers that their services would not be terminated, the workers’ eight-day protest, which began as an indefinite strike was withdrawn, and the workers returned to work on Saturday.

The Corporation had, in May, floated a tender to select a service provider/agency/contractor or a company to implement solid waste management by engaging adequate manpower and vehicles. But the move was opposed and over 900 workers began their strike from June 23. Talks with the Labour Department and the Corporation failed to yield results over the course of several days, and the workers continued their strike, leading to a pile-up of garbage across the city.

On the evening of Friday, June 30, 2023, Erode Mayor S. Nagarathinam, Deputy Mayor V. Selvaraj, Corporation Commissioner P. Janaki Raveendran, Deputy Commissioner K.M. Sudha and the zone chairmen held talks with the trade union leaders of the coservancy workers.

Officials assured them that even after the contractor or company was finalised for outsourcing of solid waste management activities, workers would not lose their job. Regarding the minimum wages as fixed by the Collector and wages to workers during the strike period, officials said that they would take up these issue with the government. Also, officials said that action would not be taken against the workers for abstaining from work. Officials also said that workers aged above 50 would not be terminated from service, and they could work till the age of 60. Since an oral agreement was reached, trade unions then announced the withdrawal of the strike.

On Saturday, workers resumed work and were involved in door-to-door collection of garbage, sweeping roads, the bus stand and the three vegetable markets, and also in segregating the waste. Officials said that over 1,000 tonnes of accumulated garbage in 60 wards would be removed in a few days.