MUMBAI: Fearing the loss of their jobs, the support system of Mumbai’s garbage collection system—around 8,000 motor loaders who tip garbage into compactors, 1,300 drivers, and technical staff—have threatened to go on strike from Wednesday if the BMC goes ahead with its plan to outsource the entire mechanism to contractors. A protest at Azad Maidan has been planned on Tuesday, followed by the strike if the BMC does not back down.
“If Mumbai’s garbage isn’t picked up even for a day in the rains, it will be a catastrophe,” said Waman Kaviskar, convener of the MNP Kamgaar Sanghatana Sangharsh Samiti (MNP KSSS Union), an umbrella body formed of all the municipal garbage workers’ unions for this fight. “But we’re being forced to do this to ensure that city cleaners don’t lose their jobs.”
While the BMC hires the waste compactors vehicles from contractors, it is its own labour—permanent and contract staff included—that runs the streets. But as the previous seven-year contracts near their end, the civic body has opted to outsource the entire operation to contractors, from the vehicles and manpower to garbage bins and the collection route.
“It is a more cost-effective option,” deputy municipal commissioner (solid waste management), Kiran Dighavkar had explained, as the BMC floated tenders for the new system of collection and transportation on May 14. Crucially, while the old system was paid per shift and cost ₹3,627 per tonne, the new system will pay the contractor by the amount of waste transported and will cost ₹2,864 per ton. Only wards L, M East and M West were excluded to use the BMC’s own compactor vehicles till such time as they are usable.
On Wednesday, the very day that the MNP KSSS Union held a meeting in Dadar, which over 1,500 workers attended, the BMC extended the deadline for bid submission till June 26. “We want nothing less than the tender being cancelled,” said Kaviskar. “We have already sent the BMC a legal notice on May 29, informing them of our plan to go on strike if our demands are not accepted.”
Kaviskar termed the BMC’s change in the system as “privisatisation”. “There are around 16,000 motor loaders who load garbage into compactors, and half of whom are permanent workers,” he said. “Not only is the BMC planning to give their jobs to contractors, it is also reducing the requirement of motor loaders per compactor. There are also at least 1,300 compactor drivers and BMC garage staff who will be affected.”
While the BMC has promised the motor loaders that they will not lose their jobs and will be shifted to the evening sweeping shift instead, the union leaders have no faith in this. “The corporation already has evening shift sweepers and mechanical sweepers,” said Kaviskar. “It doesn’t need additional staff.” The union leader pointed out that not only would the workers lose their jobs, their future generations too would miss out on inheriting their jobs due to the preferential treatment (PT) positions conservancy workers are entitled to.
Questioning Dighavkar’s claim that the new system would be cost-effective, Kaviskar said, “The BMC will pay contractors to handle waste collection and transportation. But it is also promising to continue paying the permanent motor loaders in a different role. How is that cost-cutting?”
Dighavkar remained unperturbed by the strike threat. “We have assured the workers that none of them will lose their jobs, earnings or PT case benefits,” he said. “Motor loaders will be made evening shift sweepers in the same ward, as anyway we are increasing their numbers. No garages will be closed down either. We will convince the workers and unions.”