The standoff between the Haryana Government and sanitation workers over regularisation of contractual employees is set to escalate. The Urban Local Bodies Department (ULBD) is likely to dismiss 30 workers — 11 regular and 19 contractual — after the government's deadline for them to rejoin duty expired.
Sanitation workers dismissal order expected after strike deadline
The government had earlier given striking workers time until September 5 to return to work. Officials warned that failing to rejoin would lead to legal and disciplinary action. The 30 workers now likely to face dismissal are those who have FIRs registered against them for obstructing garbage collection over the past month.
A senior ULBD official said, "The dismissal orders are likely to be issued on Monday. The time was given till Saturday. Sunday is a holiday. So, orders will be issued on September 7."
Contractual workers strike over regularisation demand
The dispute centres on the demand for regularisation of contractual workers. A total of 13,091 sanitation workers on 'palika' rolls — meaning contractual workers employed by municipal bodies — have been on strike over this issue.
The government's decision to move against 30 workers signals a tougher stance in the ongoing labour dispute. Those facing dismissal are specifically workers who allegedly prevented garbage collection from taking place, which has likely disrupted municipal services in affected areas.
Our Take: A hard line that could backfire
To put it plainly, dismissing workers — especially when 13,091 are still on strike — is a risky move. The government is sending a clear message that obstruction of work will not be tolerated. That is understandable from an administrative point of view.
But the bigger issue remains unresolved. These workers are demanding regularisation, and firing 30 of them does not address the core grievance. It could harden attitudes on both sides and prolong a strike that is already disrupting essential sanitation services.
The government needs to balance discipline with dialogue. Punishing those who broke the law is one thing, but the larger workforce is watching how this is handled. If the goal is to get cities clean again, a purely punitive approach may not be the fastest route.