Contract workers at Coimbatore’s Semmozhi Poonga stage protest over pay delay

Minor tension prevailed at the Semmozhi Poonga on Dr. Nanjappa Road in Coimbatore on Tuesday after around 100 contract workers employed by a private firm assigned by the Coimbatore City Municipal Corporation (CCMC) boycotted work and staged a protest over the delay in the payment of their salary.

The protesters alleged that they resorted to the sit-in after not receiving the salary in August though the pay date is seventh of every month. The salary was paid very late last month as well, they alleged.

The protesters stated that over 200 persons work in the park as sanitary workers, gardeners, supervisors, security guards, electricians, plumbers, BOV drivers and as staff for other operation and maintenance works under their employer Srinivas Waste Management Services (P) Ltd. They alleged that the senior staff of the private firm threatened to terminate the workers when they questioned the delay in the payment of salary.

CCMC officials held negotiations with the contract workers as the protest crippled the operation of the park. As the protesters refused to withdraw, Minister for Welfare of Backward Classes V. Sampath Kumar, who is also the Minister in-charge of the district, held negotiations with them on a video call.

Following the Minister’s intervention, representatives from the private business met the protesters. They withdrew the protest after the company assured them of paying the salary at the earliest.

CCMC Commissioner Katta Ravi Teja stated there were some issues pending regarding the attendance of workers, and that their salary will be paid in one or two days.