PHE Pump Operators start Dharna
Kolkata, December 12, 2011 The PHE Water Supply Employees Union (WB) started a dharna in front of their Minister’s office, New Secretariat Building, from 2pm on 12th December, which would be then converted to a hunger strike if their demands for timely payments, permanent status and minimum wages were not met.
The PHE Water Supply Employees Union (WB) members, who operate drinking water pumps of the State Government claimed that they had been cheated by both the present and the past Government. Pump operators receive a daily wage of Rs.169. Payment is irregular, with some workers having dues for 12-15 months. The work, which is of a perennial nature, continues to be contractual, in violation of the law.
The pump operators have been agitating for permanency, higher wages and regular payment for the past 8-10 years. They had resorted to an indefinite hunger strike when the Left Front was in power. They claimed that at that point Shri Partha Chatterjee, then leader of the Opposition had persuaded them to stop their hunger strike, telling them that it was useless agitating against the unsympathetic Left Government. He had also said that once the TMC came to power their problems would be dealt with. However, the union said no such step had been taken, though it was now six months since the Government had come to power.
The union declared that all pump operators would also resort to mass casual leave from 26th December if the Government persisted in ignoring them.
- PHE Water Supply Employees Union (WB) cheated by the present and the past Government
- Pump operators receive a daily wage of Rs.169 irregularly, with some workers having dues for 12-15 months
- The work continues to be contractual, with Government violating its own law