CITU-Led Protest Achieves Promising Breakthrough for STP Contract Workers in Shimla

After a demonstration of labor solidarity, the Sewerage Treatment Plant Contract Workers Union, affiliated with the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), staged a protest at the Shimla Jal Prabandhan Nigam Limited Managing Director’s office.

The protest, which drew a crowd of workers, aimed to address the pressing demands of sewerage treatment plant (STP) and network workers.

Key union figures, including CITU State President Vijendra Mehra and Union President Pankaj Sharma, voiced the workers’ demands, which centered on equitable pay and improved working conditions.

 They highlighted the Supreme Court’s rulings mandating equal pay for equal work and the regularization of STP workers. 

The workers also called for a 50 percent salary hike above the minimum wage due to the hazardous nature of their work, which involves exposure to toxic and flammable gases.

Additionally, the union stressed the need for comprehensive safety measures under the Manual Scavengers Act 2013, including the provision of PPE kits, oxygen masks, and other essential safety equipment. 

They also demanded that STPs be registered under the Factory Act to ensure workers receive all corresponding benefits.

Other significant demands included timely salary payments, the provision of proper drinking water and sanitary facilities at STPs, and the repair and construction of staff quarters. 

The union also sought the implementation of identity cards, changing rooms, and adequate tool storage for network workers. Moreover, they urged for bonus facilities, various types of leaves, and an annual 30 percent salary increase based on seniority.

Following two hours of discussions with the General Manager, an agreement was reached to address these demands, marking a hopeful step towards improving the livelihoods and safety of STP workers.