Over 900 sanitation workers working under the Shimla Environment, Heritage Conservation and Beautification Society (SEHB) Welfare Workers Union went on an indefinite strike on Friday, asking for the return of a 10 per cent wage cut that was withdrawn by the authorities and asking for the 4-9-14 pay scale pattern given to government workers.
The strike started even after the Shimla district administration invoked the Himachal Pradesh Essential Services (Maintenance) Act, 1973. The order had barred the agitation, citing risks to public health, sanitation, and tourism during the peak summer season. The protesting workers said they were ready to face action from the administration if their demands were not met or addressed.
Sanitation worker Jaswant said they had two main demands, restoration of the 10 per cent wage cut and implementation of the 4-9-14 pay scale for SEHB workers. He said around 900 workers and their families depend on these wages for their livelihood. He also alleged that the administration was not paying attention to their issues.
He added that if the administration wants to remove them from their jobs, it can do so, but the workers are fighting for their rights. He also said they had already served a 14-day strike notice before beginning the protest.
The workers further added that while municipal taxes and user charges in the city were hiked by 10 per cent, sanitation workers were not given similar benefits.
Supporting the protest, Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) state president Vijendra Mehra accused the Municipal Corporation of failing to resolve the issues despite repeated talks over the last three years.
He said nearly 30 meetings were held in the Labour Office, but senior officials, including the Municipal Commissioner and Joint Commissioner, did not actively participate in the discussions.
He further claimed that the 10 per cent wage component was withdrawn even while conciliation talks were still ongoing. He said the decision was taken in a general body meeting without proper quorum.
Mehra said the workers had given a legal 14-day strike notice. Instead of resolving the issue through dialogue, the administration imposed restrictions under the Essential Services Act.
He warned that if the demands are not resolved through talks, sanitation workers from hospitals, hotels, sewage treatment plants, and other sectors in Shimla may also join the protest. He said the movement could spread across the city if the administration continues to ignore the workers’ demands.
Earlier on Thursday, District Magistrate Anupam Kashyap passed an order under the Himachal Pradesh Essential Services (Maintenance) Act, 1973, banning the proposed indefinite strike and asking workers to continue uninterrupted waste management services.
As per the administration, the SEHB Society has been managing door-to-door garbage collection and waste disposal in Shimla since 2010. It said any disruption could lead to a sanitation crisis in the hill capital, especially during the ongoing tourist season.
The order warned that garbage accumulation could harm public hygiene, environmental safety, and health, and also cause inconvenience to residents and tourists. The administration also cautioned workers against abandoning their duties without valid reason. It said any violation of the order would invite legal action under the Essential Services Act.
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