Massive rallies held at four locations in Chandigarh at the call of the Federation of UT Employees and Workers, Chandigarh.

Massive rallies held at four locations in Chandigarh at the call of the Federation of UT Employees and Workers, Chandigarh.

Strong demand raised for the immediate regularization of contract employees who have completed 10 years of service, the absorption of outsourced staff into departments, and the implementation of 'equal pay for equal work'.

Chandigarh 28 July ( Ranjeet Singh Dhaliwal ) : Continuing the series of ongoing protests initiated by the Federation of UT Employees and Workers, Chandigarh, protest rallies were held today at the MC Horticulture Booth (Sector 8), Rose Garden (Sector 16), Solid Waste Plant (Sector 25), and Water Works (Sector 39). These rallies prominently highlighted demands for the immediate regularization of all contract employees who have completed 10 years of service, the absorption of outsourced staff into the respective departments, and the provision of equal pay for equal work. It was emphatically stated that the employees would accept nothing less than this. The administration must take immediate and appropriate steps to address and implement the demands of the temporary employees. 

Addressing protest rallies, Federation President Rajendra Katoch, General Secretary Harkesh Chand, Chairman Gopal Dutt Joshi, Vice President Budhram, Joint Secretary Bihari Lal, CMC Horticulture Workers Union (Chandigarh) General Secretary Hardeep Singh, Joint Secretaries Ajaib Singh and Sohanlal, Finance Secretary Rajendra Kumar, Deputy President Mata Sharan, Organizing Secretary Perumal, Auditor Ayyappan, Press Secretary Gurpreet Singh, CMC Public Health Workers Union President Harpal Singh, Cashier Hanif Mohammad, Dharmpal, Deputy Presidents Harjit Singh, Rajkumar, Tejmani, and others strongly criticized the Chandigarh Administration and Municipal Corporation authorities. They stated that the negative and anti-employee working style of the administration and the corporation has led to a continuous escalation of employees' problems. Instead of resolving demands through dialogue, the administration maintains a negative attitude. 

Consequently, several long-standing demands remain unaddressed: regularizing all daily-wage and contract employees who have completed 10 years of service in one go; bringing outsourced employees directly under the administration or a government-centralized agency (instead of the GeM portal) to ensure job security until retirement; implementing the principle of "equal pay for equal work"; restoring the old pension scheme; promptly filling vacant promotional posts; immediately releasing retirement benefits to retired personnel; revoking the decision to hand over Horticulture Department parks and green belts to private societies via MoUs; providing uniforms, oil, soap, children's allowance, and CGHS facilities; raising the ESI and bonus eligibility limit to ₹50,000; rectifying errors in supervisors' DC rates; and unconditionally increasing the DC rates by 2% for all outsourced employees who have completed five years of service. Therefore, the struggle will continue through both departmental and joint actions. They appealed to all employees to participate in large numbers in the protest organized by the Federation of UT Employees and Workers, Chandigarh, and the Joint Employees' Morcha on August 5, 2026.