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Bombay civic workers call off strike

An indefinite agitation launched by over 1,40,000 employees of the Bombay Municipal Corporation was called off Friday evening following successful negotiations between the administration and union leaders.

Leaders of the Bombay Municipal Corporation Employees Action Committee, led by trade unionist Sharad Rao, met Mayor Hareshwar Patil in the afternoon and decided to call off the two-day-old agitation.

Earlier in the day, top officials met at the BMC headquarters and discussed the issue of a hike in ex-gratia (bonus) as demanded by the employees.

It was decided that while 65 per cent of the bonus, which is almost the same as that paid last year, will be disbursed before Diwali, the rest will be paid later.

Employees with salary up to Rs 5,000 will receive a bonus of Rs 5, 525, while those in the Rs 5,000-7,000 slab will get Rs 5, 850.

A strike by civic employees in Bombay just before Diwali has become a regular feature. This time, however, Bombayites decided to oppose the annual ritual and came out on the streets.

They squatted on roads and railway tracks disrupting the morning peak hours traffic badly on Friday. BEST buses and trains on the Western Railway were also stopped at several places.

UNI

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