Sanitary workers demand salaries ahead of Christmas

Unpaid for over three months, staff blame CDA- IMC row for their troubles


​ Our Correspondent December 19, 2019
Sanitary workers hold a sit-in on Kashmir Highway. PHOTO: ONLINE

ISLAMABAD: Unpaid for the last three months, the low-income sanitary workers of the federal capital are demanding salaries at least on their festive occasion of Christmas.

The sanitary workers held a protest at Kashmir Highway and then at Aabpara Chowk to demand payment of salaries.

The protestors said they were caught between the tussle of Islamabad Metropolitan Corporation (IMC) and Capital Development Authority (CDA).

They urged Islamabad Mayor Ansar Aziz and CDA Chairman Amer Ali Ahmed to resolve the issue of sanitary workers.

Meanwhile, IMC sources said that CDA chairman had released Rs30 million for urgent payment of salaries to the sanitary workers. The funds were subsequently provided to contractors who employ the sanitation staff. However, the contractors used the funds to clear their previous bills and did not pay the sanitary workers.

Sources said that Mayor Ansar Aziz was likely to send a summary to prime minister for release of grant to pay the sanitation staff.

Union demands salary payment

CDA Labour Union (Yasin Group) Sanitation Committee organised a Christmas event at Fire Brigade Hall in Sector G-7/1 on Wednesday.

The programme was attended by the Adviser to PM on CDA Affairs Ali Nawaz Awan, Labor Union General Secretary Chaudhry Muhammad Yasin and Union’s Minority Affairs Chairman Chaudhry Ashraf Farzand etc.

The adviser said that the non-payment of salaries ahead of Christmas was saddening and asserted that they had resolved the issue of salaries a few months ago but it had surfaced again. He added that he would talk to the chairman CDA on the issue today and assured that it would be resolved soon.

Addressing the ceremony, Yasin felicitated the Christian community on the occasion on their religious occasion and said that the display of inter-faith harmony by the authority’s employees was inspiring.

He criticised that the incompetent Central Bargaining Authority (CBA) Labour Union for destroying the power of the institution.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 19th, 2019.

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