Outsourced Workers’ Hunger Strike in Chandigarh Reaches 6th Day, Admn Accused of Negligence
The workers claim they are on the brink of starvation and vow to continue their protest until their demands are met.
Chandigarh, March 15, 2025 – The hunger strike by outsourced workers under the Coordination Committee of Government and Municipal Corporation Employees and Workers, UT Chandigarh, has entered its sixth day, with workers accusing the administration of neglect and irresponsibility.
The workers, who have not received their wages for the past three months, claim they are on the brink of starvation and vow to continue their protest until their demands are met.
Protest at Sector-16 Maintenance Booth
Nine employees from various departments are participating in the hunger strike, including:
- Rahul Kumar (Water Supply, Municipal Corporation)
- Talib Hussain (GMCH-32 Security Union)
- Akashdeep Sharma (Electrical Admin)
- Ashok Kumar (Public Health Admin)
- Gursevak Singh (Building Maintenance)
- Sanju Singh (Building Maintenance)
- Sandeep Kumar (Sewer, Municipal Corporation)
- Gurpreet Singh (Electrical)
- Vipan Kumar (Electrical)
Workers’ Demands and Administration’s Alleged Neglect
Union leaders Satinder Singh (President) and Rakesh Kumar (General Secretary) have accused the administration of repeatedly ignoring their requests to release the unpaid salaries of workers from various sectors, including the Electrical Circle, Public Health Circle, and Construction Circle of the Engineering Department.
They further claimed that the administration is violating labour laws by disregarding directives from the Labour Department, failing to ensure timely payment of wages, and neglecting to provide essential facilities for outsourced workers.
The workers' primary demands are:
- Immediate payment of three months' overdue wages
- Strict enforcement of labour laws
- Timely salaries and benefits for outsourced employees
Upcoming Steps in the Protest
- The hunger strike will continue until March 28.
- A workers’ convention is scheduled for March 29.
- A march to gherao the Chandigarh Secretariat is planned for April 8.
Call for High-Level Talks
The protesting workers have called for a high-level meeting with senior officials to address their grievances and ensure a transparent dialogue between the employees and the administration, aiming to improve employer-employee relations and resolve the ongoing issues.