Formulate scheme for regular pay scale to NULM workers, HC tells Corpn

The Madras High Court has directed the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) to formulate a comprehensive scheme for bringing the National Urban Livelihood Mission (NULM) workers employed continuously for a considerable length of time without any break in a regular scale of pay or wages which is rational, reasonable and equitable.

Justice V Parthiban ordered the Chennai Corporation to formulate the scheme within 12 weeks.

“While formulating the scheme, the respondents shall also take into account the work that is being extracted from these workers and also the time scale of pay that is being paid to the regular employees for doing the same work,” the judge said in the order.

The above ruling was passed by the judge while disposing of a plea moved by Uzhaippor Urimai Iyakkam represented by its secretary K Bharathi.

The petitioner prayed for a direction to the State government and Chennai Corporation to pay minimum or scale salary of the permanent conservancy or sanitation workers to the NULM conservancy or sanitation workers working in Zone 7 Unit – 20, Division – 92 of the Greater Chennai Corporation with retrospective effect.

“These workers are most essential for keeping the city clean and hygiene for the citizens to lead a healthy lifestyle. They cannot be treated like bonded labor and are paid measly sums as daily wages. These workers are entitled to be paid on par with the permanent employees, at least appropriately calculated and paid consolidated amount, on the basis of the minimum scale of pay as applicable to the permanent conservancy/sanitary workers,” the petitioner added.

Even as the government advocate submitted that the temporary employees are not directly recruited by the corporation and by external agencies, the judges rejected such contentions stating that that the corporation cannot be allowed to exploit their position and extract work from them on a day-to-day basis and deny them the minimum wages for their sustenance.

“In the interregnum, the respondents are directed to pay the minimum wages fixed by the government in respect of conservancy/sanitary workers and on such fixation, continue to pay to the NULM workers who are members of the petitioner union,” Justice Parthiban ordered