ISLAMABAD: Private sanitary workers, collecting domestic solid waste from different sectors of the federal capital on daily basis, claim they are being exploited by the Metropolitan Corporation Islamabad (MCI) contractors due to their uncertain and insecure job status.
The sanitary workers have complained about the poor working conditions and inhumane attitude of their bosses who asked them to work for extra hours without any over time.
Talking to APP, a sanitary worker at G-7 requesting anonymity said the existing contract system was encouraging their exploitation at the hands of MCI contractors who usually threatened them to cut their wages if anyone dared to raise voice against their highhandedness.
“We are getting Rs 15,000 per month, out of which approximately Rs 2,000 are being taken by the inspectors of our contractor and if we refuse to pay the extortion money, we are told to leave the job,” the worker alleged.
He alleged that the workers in his area could not sell the material, collected after segregation, to the scrap dealer of their own choice.
“We are asked to sell such material on the designated shops that purchase it on half rates of the market price,” he added.
He urged the quarters concerned to rectify the situation and take the necessary action against the contractors as per law.
Another worker at G-8 sector requesting not be named due to its job security said they were not provided safety equipment and denied of health and other benefits including vacations, insurance schemes, rest days and pensions, adding that they were working under extremely health hazardous and life-threatening conditions.
He demanded weekly off for them without their salaries cut so that they could also give time to their families on the weekend.
A lady sanitary worker at G-7/1 also requesting anonymity said the female staff was also facing some issues with the contractors and regretted that they were even deprived of maternity leaves.