Chennai Metrowater labourers union petitions government demanding permanent jobs

Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board Labourers Union has recently submitted a 11-point charter of demands to CMWSSB and Municipal Administration and Water Supply Department.

The Union has demanded that contract workers employed for over three years be provided with permanent jobs. Some of them have been waiting for permanent jobs for nearly 15 years.

G.Beem Rao, the Union’s president and former Maduravoyal MLA said the State government must allow labourers to switch to old pension scheme and stop private participation in operation and maintenance of Metrowater facilities. The water agency must provide direct employment to workers in its facilities.

Moreover, the government must form a separate department to protect and maintain waterbodies from further degradation to ensure water resilience in the city, he said.

Some of the long-pending demands of employees, include provident fund and employees state insurance, issuance of identity cards and periodical medical camps.

The water agency must ensure that all field workers engaged in sewer maintenance work are provided with safety gear and take steps to eliminate manual scavenging. Various such demands were also discussed during a recent meeting of the Union, said Mr.Rao.