Patna: The eight-day strike by sanitation workers that disrupted garbage collection across Bihar’s urban local bodies, including the Patna Municipal Corporation (PMC), was called off on Thursday after the state govt agreed to consider a series of welfare measures for daily-wage and outsourced workers and restore benefits for regular employees.The breakthrough came after a meeting chaired by urban development and housing department minister Nitish Mishra with representatives of the Bihar Local Bodies Employees Federation, Bihar State Local Bodies Employees Federation and PMC Joint Employees Coordination Committee. Following the talks, union leaders announced the suspension of the strike, which began on July 30.Mishra said a committee would be constituted to examine the workers’ demands, while some issues would require approval from the state cabinet. “The discussions were held in a cordial atmosphere. I am happy that following the govt’s positive assurances and constructive dialogue, the workers decided to withdraw the strike,” he said.According to the Urban Development and Housing Department (UDHD), the govt has agreed in principle to examine demands for a fixed monthly honorarium for daily-wage sanitation workers, periodic increments linked to service tenure, earned and casual leave, maternity leave, insurance coverage and gratuity benefits.A committee headed by UDHD secretary Animesh Parashar, with officials and employee representatives as members, will submit its recommendations within a month.The govt also assured that outsourced sanitation workers would continue in service even if agencies change, wages would be transferred directly to their bank accounts and no unlawful deductions would be allowed. It further agreed to restore ACP and MACP benefits for regular municipal employees and withdraw disciplinary action initiated against sanitation workers during the strike.Welcoming the outcome, PMC Joint Employees’ Union president Chandra Prakash Singh termed it a major victory for municipal workers. “The govt is committed to the welfare of sanitation workers and outsourced staff working in urban local bodies,” he said.With the strike withdrawn, normal sanitation and door-to-door waste collection services are expected to resume across urban local bodies in the state.
