Pics: Spoorthi Ullal
Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru (MS)
Mangaluru, Mar 17: As many as 234 outsourced civic workers, who are working for Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) will be taking part in the protest that is going on at Bengaluru.
A letter to this effect is written to the commissioner of MCC by Dakshina Kannada Safayi Karmachari Sangha. The letter says, “On February 22 and 23 a protest was held in Bengaluru in which STP, pumphouse and UGD labourers working in Mangaluru supported the same. During the protest secretary of urban development department assured necessary action for direct payment of wages. At the same time, M B Naganna Gowda, president of outsourced workers’ association of Karnataka also has asked to send a positive order in this connection before March 10. He also said that if the order is not sent, the association will resort to protest and strike.
“In the wake of this background, it is decided to hold further protest depending on the decision of the government. As many as 234 outsourced underground workers have decided to take part in the protest that is going on in Bengaluru. We are bringing this matter to your notice. We request you to cooperate as usual. If anyone trespasses the work area and works in UGD, STP and pumphouse, they will be directly responsible for the consequences,” stated the protestors.
After the protesters threatened to hold a demonstration in front of the MCC by pouring sewage wastewater, MLA Vedhvyas Kamath, mayor Jayanand Anchan, and corporation commissioner Chennabasappa K arrived on the scene to negotiate with employees.
During the occasion, the MLA spoke and said that he would put all his efforts into bringing the issue to the attention of the government. "Protesting is your right. We are not asking you to stop protesting, but we ask that you not put the people in the city in trouble," he added.
"As you are working on a contract basis, we cannot directly increase your wages. The problem should be resolved amicably within the administrative setup," he added.
The MLA also assured that he would resolve the issue by holding meetings with contract agencies and MCC officials. "We also demand that the agencies increase the wages for employees working under contract," protestors said.