A Successful Strike of Railway Sanitation Workers

Contract sanitation workers of Bhubaneshwar railway station, East Coast Railway, Odisha went on 7days strike under the banner of East Coast Safai Mazdoor Union affiliated to AICCTU. The strike was against the conversion of man-power tender to activity tender in Khurda Road division. This decision led to the contractor “Master Clean” to reduce duties of worker to 14 days from 26 days and retrench 150 workers. The striking workers demanded restoration of 26 days duty and stopping of retrenchment, along with payment of Dearness Allowance of 2021-22, provision of National holidays and stoppage of rotation of duties.
After a complete stoppage of work at the railway station for 3 days, the Deputy Chief -Labour Commissioner called for a conciliation meeting. In the negotiations, the contractor did not agree with the proposal of the Commissioner to take back all workers and provide 20 days duty to each of them, rather the contractor proposed to provide duty only for 100 workers. The negotiations continued for the next three days. In the meantime, the contractor’s unfair labour practice of hiring outside workers was stalled by the protesting workers. Finally, after the intervention of railway authorities, the negotiations were resumed and an agreement was reached to take back all workers with 18 days duty and immediate release of arrears of wages. The strike was called off following the agreement with a partial victory for the strike by the sanitation workers. The struggle for work for full month is on. n