Hyderabad: The housekeeping staff of Dr BR Ambedkar Telangana State Secretariat were up in arms on Monday morning, August 5, claiming that they were being ill-treated by their supervisors.
The housekeeping staff, mostly belonging to the Dalit community, claimed that the supervisors had been using vulgar language while making them work.
The issue started due to some change in the allotment of duties to the staff by the supervisors on different floors. As there were some disagreements between the staff and the supervisors, the use of language by the supervisors triggered protests.
The female staff complained that the supervisors’ use of vulgar language was not new. They have been using words like “use her,” “Madigas talk too much,” “mundas,” “moosko,” and even worse while making them work.
The housekeeping staff asked for the removal of one supervisor who has been misbehaving with them.
“I joined the service during Chandrababu Naidu’s regime when my salary was a mere Rs 50. It has been 25 years since I’ve been working here. I’m fifty now, and the supervisor tells me to leave saying I’m too old. Am I not allowed to work till I turn 50,” a female staff asked.
Another woman complained that the supervisor objected to her wearing bangles and got them removed.
The housekeeping staff complained that they were supposed to receive salary increments every year but were not getting any. They also demanded ESI and PF benefits which they were not currently receiving.
The administration at the Secretariat listened to all of their grievances, took a written representation from them, and arranged a meeting with the officials concerned. The staff were assured that their issues would be resolved.
