Chennai Corporation snubs temporary workers, permanent staff return felicitation

The Corporation had started issuing the certificates to conservancy workers, domestic breeding checker (DBC) workers and other field-level workers on the occasion of Independence Day on Saturday. After issuing certificates to a few workers at the regional deputy commissioners’ offices, conservancy inspectors at the ward-level have been instructed to distribute the certificate within one or two days.

“The Corporation has snubbed the temporary conservancy workers, Amma Canteen workers and others. Like the permanent workers, temporary workers, who are working under the National Urban Livelihood Mission (NULM) and Non-Muster Roll (NMR), are also fighting the virus at field-level. Temporary workers are also doing the same work as the permanent workers do,” L Srinivasan, general secretary of Chennai Corporation Redflag Union, said.

There are more than 20,000 workers with the Chennai Corporation, of which only around 6,000 workers are permanent employees.

Srinivasan added that the workers, who had already received the certificates are returning the certificates, while others, who are yet to receive the certificates have decided not to accept it.

“We will accept the certificates only if the civic body comes forward to treat all the employees the same and issues felicitation certificates to all temporary workers,” he said.

It may be noted that the association had sent a representation to Chennai Corporation Commissioner G Prakash on Friday, urging the administration to issue felicitation certificates to all the employees, who are taking part in the COVID-19 prevention work.

However, the association has decided to accept the felicitation certificates issued for the workers, who had contracted the virus and returned to work after recovery. “This is because the civic body issues this certificate to all the affected workers irrespective of whether they are temporary or permanent. Overall, 700 workers got infected and returned to work,” Srinivasan said.

When asked, Commissioner Prakash did not comment on the issue.