Demonetisation: 3000 corporation sanitary workers given salaries with old notes in Coimbatore

The workers refused to accept the old notes from the contractors but they were threatened to accept it or to leave the job, he said.
Demonetisation: 3000 corporation sanitary workers given salaries with old notes in Coimbatore
Demonetisation: 3000 corporation sanitary workers given salaries with old notes in Coimbatore
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About 3000 sanitary workers working with the Coimbatore Corporation were allegedly given old notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1000 for salaries and they are struggling to get it exchanged in banks. 

Speaking to The News Minute, MS Velmurgan, former corporation councillor and leader of All India Central Council Trade Union, said, “These workers are on contract basis and are provided salaries through contractors. The sanitary workers were given October’s salary in November and November’s salary in December. Moreover, they were given old notes of Rs 500 and 1000 in hand,” he said.

Before demonetisation, the salaries of the workers were transferred to their bank accounts, he added. “The workers have to be at work from 5:30 am to 4 pm. When will they go get the money deposited in the bank and get new notes?,” he asked. He noted that many of the workers are struggling because of cash crunch.

The workers refused to accept the old notes from the contractors but they were threatened to accept it or to leave the job, he said.

Moreover, he alleged that the workers were made to sign vouchers. “The workers do not know how to read the documents, they were made to sign vouchers,” he said.

The two companies that have contracts with the corporation are KCT and Vardhan Infrastructure Private Limited. “Many of these companies are not registered under Contractors’ Registration Act,” Velmurugan said.

The sanitary workers are given a salary of Rs. 6000 per month and workers have said that they won’t be accepting the old notes for the next salary. “We are sure that the officials at the corporation will be knowing what is happening. But who cares about sanitary workers?,” he asked.

The All India Central Council Trade Union had submitted a petition to the Coimbatore police commissioner on Friday and is also planning to carry out a protest if the workers continue to get salary in old notes. 

The Coimbatore Corporation Commissioner K Vijayakarthikeyan was unavailable for comments.

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