Andhra: Gooty Municipality workers' strike enters 9th day, unique protest highlights grievances

Anantapur (Andhra Pradesh) [India], January 4 : The indefinite strike by municipal workers near the Gooty Municipality office entered its 9th day on Wednesday, taking on a distinctive form of protest. In a creative demonstration to highlight their demands, workers placed dry grass on plates and consumed it.
Their primary grievances include calls for equal pay for equal work, health security, job opportunities for families of those who succumbed to COVID-19, and a minimum wage of Rs. 26,000.
Leaders of the municipal workers' association emphasized these demands during the protest, issuing a stern warning to the state government. They urged immediate talks with union leaders to address the concerns of municipal workers, cautioning that a failure to do so would escalate the movement on a large scale.
The strike has not only disrupted municipal services but also raised concerns among town residents. Garbage accumulation has become a pervasive issue, causing unpleasant odours throughout the town.
The public anxiously awaits a resolution to the ongoing strike, hoping for a swift end to the impasse and a return to normalcy in municipal services.