Bihar Sanitation Workers' Suspend Strike after High Court Intervention

The corporation sanitation workers' strike ongoing across Bihar since 7 September (for repeal of order ending and instead outsourcing Group D posts, regularizing daily, outsourced and contract workers on these posts, creating regular posts in accordance with population, ending outsourcing/contract/commission system, equal pay for equal work and minimum monthly salary of Rs 18000) was ended after the Patna High Court passed orders directing the government to file a reply on the workers' demands within 8 weeks. The court made no adverse comments on the strike.

AICCTU State Joint Secretary Mukesh Mukt said the court order is a huge victory for the united struggle by the corporation workers. It was the Nitish government, insensitive to the just demands of the workers, that had gone to the court instead of talking to the protesting workers. The court has also directed the government to pay all arrears to workers within one week and revoke all disciplinary action against the workers. If the Nitish-BJP government fails to comply with the court orders within the given time limit the corporation workers will be forced to agitate again after 2 months, for which the entire responsibility will rest with the government. AICCTU stands with the corporation workers' just demands and their movement.

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