Around 200 temporary sanitation workers (safai karmacharis) of the Dibrugarh Municipal Corporation (DMC) staged a strike outside the DMC office on Friday, demanding job regularisation, salary hike and provident fund deductions on par with permanent employees.
The workers, protesting under the banner of the Harijan Mazdoor Union, raised slogans demanding justice and an end to what they termed discriminatory treatment in wages and benefits.
According to the protesters, the monthly salaries of temporary sanitation workers have remained stagnant at Rs 12,000 for the last nine years since 2016. In contrast, permanent sanitation workers received a salary hike from Rs 15,000 to Rs 18,000 in March 2025, further widening the pay disparity.
“We are doing the same work as permanent employees, but our salaries have not increased for nine years. How can we survive with Rs 12,000 when prices of everything have gone up?” said Ramesh Basfor, a temporary sanitation worker for 14 years.
The protesting workers pointed out that most of them have been serving for 12 to 15 years, dating back to when the civic body was still the Dibrugarh Municipal Board. The board, one of the oldest municipalities in Northeast India established in 1873, was upgraded to a Municipal Corporation in June 2024.
“We have been working since the Municipal Board days. Many of us have given more than a decade of service, yet we are still called temporary workers with no job security,” said Geeta Devi, another protester.
The workers alleged that their workload has only increased following the upgrade to Municipal Corporation status, but their salaries and benefits have remained unchanged. They demanded immediate regularisation of their positions, arguing that their long tenure and consistent service warranted permanent employment status.
“After the upgrade to Municipal Corporation, our work has increased significantly. We now cover larger areas and handle more responsibilities, but there has been no corresponding increase in our wages or benefits,” stated Bijoy Kumar, a union representative.
A key demand of the protesters was the deduction and contribution of provident fund, similar to permanent employees. Currently, temporary workers receive no PF benefits, leaving them without long-term financial security or retirement savings.
“Permanent workers get PF deductions, which means they have some security for their future. We get nothing. After working for so many years, we will retire with nothing in hand,” said another worker.
The union representatives said they had raised these issues with DMC authorities on multiple occasions, but no concrete solution had been reached. They accused the administration of ignoring their legitimate demands despite their crucial role in maintaining the city’s cleanliness and sanitation.
“We have been patient and have tried to negotiate, but nothing has happened. We are left with no option but to protest,” said a union leader.
When contacted, DMC officials said they were aware of the workers’ demands and would examine the matter. However, they cited budgetary constraints and administrative procedures as reasons for the delay in addressing the issues.
The strike comes at a time when municipal bodies across Assam are grappling with demands from temporary workers for regularisation and improved wages. The protesters have vowed to continue their agitation until their demands are met.
