Bhiwandi municipal workers’ stir

MUMBAI, Feb 21: More than 3,000 workers of the Bhiwandi-Nizampur Municipal Council have been on indefinite strike since the last two days to press for their demands, including increased wages and making temporary civic workers permanent.

Municipal Mazdoor Union general secretary Madhu Joshi said that though the workers were pressing for their demands for the last six months, only assurances were given by Council president Vilas Patil and chief officer Satish Lokand, and their promises remained unfulfilled. Lahu Ingle, secretary of the union which has given the call for the strike claimed the powerloom town was stinking due to the strike. More than 330 daily wages workers of the Bhiwandi-Nizampur Council have not been given their wages since December 1998, he added.