North MCD workers to go on indefinite strike from today

New Delhi: North Delhi Municipal Corporation (North MCD) workers will go on an indefinite strike from Monday onwards over non-payment of salaries and other pending dues. Alleging the BJP-led MCD has once again attacked the livelihood of its employees by compelling them to come out on the streets and protest, AAP leader Dilip Pandey said that BJP's arrogance is the reason for the failure in providing their own employees with salaries and security.

Over 7,000 MCD teachers have been on strike for the past 14 days. They have stepped away from conducting online classes, jeopardising many children's education. Despite protests outside Delhi BJP's office, there have been no signs of progress. MCD Teachers have not received their salaries in the past 4 months and their DA has not been paid since July. Several teachers have remarked that they do not have the money to afford new phones or other gadgets to continue teaching online.

"We have been demanding our salaries since September, but no leader has even spoken to us or assured us that there will be some relief soon," a teacher teaching Class III told the Millennium Post.

Similarly, other MCD staffers have been affected due to the non-payment of salaries in the previous months and will be joining the teachers strike on Monday. Various lab techs, paramedic staffers, horticulture employees, doctors and safai karamcharis will be joining the strike to demand their unpaid salaries

Pandey said, "In the last 5-7 years, the one phenomenon that is consistently going on in the MCD, apart from corruption, is strikes by MCD's employees. Every single kind of worker is striking" He continued that even though NDMC has sold MCD land at throwaway prices, they are not using it to pay the salaries of their employees but only for their own gain.

NDMC Leader of Opposition Vikas Goel added, "BJP has been in power in the MCD for the past 15 years. And in these 15 years, their incompetence, misgovernance, and corruption reached newer heights everytime — the result of which is evident today. Employees are not receiving their salaries."

North MCD officials did not offer any comments regarding the situation.