Haryana Safai Karamcharis, Fire Services Unions End Strike After Government Talks

Safai Karamcharis in Haryana announced the end of their strike on Friday after representatives of the Safai Karamchari Union met Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, following an agreement on their demands. The union had earlier held discussions with Cabinet Ministers Vipul Goel and Krishan Kumar Bedi, during which the terms were settled.

Under the agreement, Safai Karamcharis will receive a monthly uniform allowance of Rs. 440 in place of the earlier one-time payment. On the demand for equal pay for equal work and arrears, the government said payment has already been made to eligible employees. Those on municipal rolls are being extended the Leave Travel Concession benefit as per instructions.

Annual medical check-ups for Safai Karamcharis and sewermen — regular, municipal roll and HKRNL — will be conducted through the Health Department at the expense of the respective urban local bodies. In-principle approval was also given to extend the medical cashless policy available to government employees to regular employees of urban local bodies, pensioners and their dependents.

A risk allowance of Rs. 2,000 per month for Safai Karamcharis on municipal rolls has already been notified, and it was agreed to extend the same to regular employees. In-principle approval was granted to raise the payout under the Mukhyamantri Haryana Karamchari Durghatna Bima Yojana from Rs. 5 lakh to Rs. 10 lakh in the event of death on duty for municipal-roll Safai workers, including Safai Karamcharis, sewermen and Safai Daroga/Head Sewermen.

Safai Karamcharis and sewermen on municipal rolls who open savings accounts with SBI will be covered by the bank for Rs. 50 lakh in case of accidental death or permanent disability, and Rs. 25 lakh for partial disability. In-principle approval was also given to bring them under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana–CHIRAYU, with the annual premium of Rs. 9,203 per employee to be paid by the respective urban local body.

The government also gave in-principle approval for 20 days of medical leave in a calendar year and for amending service rules to allow eligible Safai Karamcharis and sewermen to be promoted to clerical (Group C) posts. Monthly wages of sewermen on municipal rolls will rise by Rs. 2,100. Safai Karamcharis and sewermen hired through outsourcing agencies will be ensured the prescribed minimum wages, along with ESI and EPF benefits for eligible employees.

On recruitment, the selection criteria for vacant posts of sewermen and Safai Karamcharis will be finalised within a month of the government determining the process, with an advertisement to follow within 15 days. A union representative will sit on the committee framing the criteria, and recruitment will continue from time to time.

It was also agreed to revoke the suspension of regular employees and to take back municipal roll and HKRNL employees whose services had been terminated. Further action on withdrawal of cases will follow rules, and strike-period days will be adjusted through additional work. Under the Job Security Act, provisions for employment to a family member and gratuity after an employee's death can be extended accordingly.

Separately, a meeting with the Haryana Fire Services Employees' Union reached an in-principle agreement on its demands. The union had sought pending dues and regular employment for fire personnel Bhavichand Sharma and Ranbir, who died in the line of duty, and Rs. 50 lakh for each family. The family of Bhavichand Sharma has already received Rs. 60 lakh — Rs. 20 lakh from the Chief Minister's Relief Fund, Rs. 10 lakh under the Mukhyamantri Karamchari Durghatna Suraksha Yojana and Rs. 30 lakh from Bank of Maharashtra under an MoU. Ranbir's family has received Rs. 30 lakh, comprising Rs. 20 lakh from the Chief Minister's Relief Fund and Rs. 10 lakh under the same scheme, with the remaining Rs. 20 lakh to be released soon. Compassionate employment applications from either family will be processed as per rules.

On the demand to regularise fire payroll employees, the recruitment criteria for vacant Fire Operator-cum-Driver posts will be framed within 45 days, followed by an advertisement within 15 days. A union representative will be a member of the criteria-framing committee. Fire personnel will receive a risk allowance of Rs. 5,000 and an annual uniform allowance of Rs. 7,500. Regular employees will face no break in service because of the strike, and the strike period for payroll employees will be adjusted against Extra Duty Leave.