Salaries row sparks sanitation workers' protest

FAISALABAD:

Hundreds of sanitary workers and rickshaw drivers staged a protest rally on Friday over non-payment of salaries for the past two months by the Suthra Punjab Authority-linked outsourcing system.

The protesters marched from District Council Chowk to the Deputy Commissioner's Office under the leadership of Baba Latif Ansari, Chairman of Pakistan Labor National Movement and President of Huqoq Khalq Party Punjab.

Addressing the demonstrators, Baba Latif Ansari alleged that under agreements with the Faisalabad Waste Management Company (FWMC), the outsourced Care Services Company was bound to register workers with both Social Security and the Employees' Old-Age Benefits Institution (EOBI).

However, he claimed workers were only partially registered and that contributions to Social Security had not been deposited for six months, amounting to approximately Rs65 million.

He further alleged that no payments had been made to EOBI, depriving around 1,200 sanitary workers of welfare benefits and medical facilities.

"Workers are protesting peacefully for the release of their salaries and pending dues," he said.

During the protest outside the DC office, both sides of the road were blocked by long queues of rickshaws. Demonstrators also dumped truckloads of garbage at the main gate, highlighting their anger over delayed wages and alleged mismanagement.

Following negotiations with Suthra Punjab Authority Managing Director Abid Hussain Bhatti and Assistant Commissioner City Adil Umer, authorities issued a show-cause notice to the outsourcing company.

Orders were also given for the immediate release of rickshaw drivers' salaries and prompt processing of sanitary workers' payments.

Speaking to media, Abid Hussain Bhatti said FWMC had no direct employment relationship with the protesting workers, as they were hired through outsourcing companies.