By IANS,
Mumbai : Over a lakh civic employees in the metropolis Tuesday went on an indefinite strike demanding a salary hike as per the Sixth Pay Commission – hitting essential services like water supply and garbage removal.
The Class-IV employees and cleaning staff also supported the agitation that crippled emergency services in the city.
The strike by the Municipal Mazdoor Union has severely affected services such as water supply, health, fire brigade and conservancy.
Alleging that the civic administration has failed to revise the salaries of its employees, Sharad Rao, convenor of the Municipal Mazdoor Union, said the administration failed to honour an assurance given on Aug 27.
“There were no fruitful talks. The implementation of the Sixth Pay Commission is being delayed unnecessarily,” said Rao said after his meeting with the municipal authorities.
Municipal Commissioner Subodh Kumar, however, assured the smooth functioning of the city sans any disruptions.
The civic employees have been demanding salary hike along with better House Rent Allowance (HRA), travel allowance, basic pay, dearness allowance, working hours and granting of leave.
The BMC employees union has warned that their indefinite strike will continue if its demands are not met by the civic administration.
Members of the Municipal Mazdoor Union are also scheduled to meet Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and Shiv Sena executive president Uddhav Thackeray to take up the matter with them.
The authorities have initiated talks with state home guard, civil defence workers and NGO staff to press them into action in view of the strike so that essential services are not affected.