Strike of sanitation workers of Jammu ULBs ends

Srinagar, Jul 26: Nearly 300 daily wagers and casual labourers from the Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) of Jammu undertook a five-day foot march from Jammu to Srinagar to demand regularisation of their services and resolution of long-standing employment grievances.

A statement of the daily wagers and casual labourers from the ULBs of Jammu issued here said that they met Advisor to Chief Minister, Nasir Aslam Wani, and Commissioner Secretary Housing and Urban Development Department, Mandeep Kaur, and presented their demands for regularisation of their casual and daily rated workers.

The statement said that during a detailed interaction, Kaur acknowledged the legitimacy of their demands and urged the employees to call off their strike, assuring them of the government’s commitment to addressing their issues of regularisation, their provident funds issues, issues of their wages and legal cases during the strike period, payment of relief to the workers who met with accident during performance of their legitimate duties.

It said that she told them that the proposal of reorganisation of the Directorate of Jammu and Kashmir, including all ULBs, was under active consideration of the department and would soon be concluded to the benefit of these workers.

The statement said that she also assured them that the Director Finance, Housing and Urban Development Department, had been directed to initiate reconciliation of PF contributions, ensuring transparency and rectification of discrepancies reported by the workers.

It said that the cases of workers who had met with accidents while on duty would be sent for financial assistance from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund or any other fund, offering relief to families often left unprotected by the absence of formal insurance.

The statement said that while the workers welcomed the government’s outreach, they strongly appealed for a time-bound and monitored implementation of the promised measures.

It said that they urged Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to personally oversee the progress to ensure credible follow-through.

The statement said that the foot march concluded in Srinagar after both meetings of the sanitation workers’ union, with the union formally announcing a suspension of the strike in light of the government’s assurances.

It said that the workers remain hopeful but affirmed that their peaceful and democratic struggle would continue until all their demands are met in full.