KARACHI, Feb 18: The concerns of municipal workers over the issue of privatization of solid waste management in Saddar Town seem to have been addressed after a meeting of the town administration and the representatives of workers.

A representative of the Municipal Workers Trade Unions Alliance, Fareed Awan, told Dawn on Saturday that during a meeting with the Saddar Town nazim, it was agreed that all benefits and facilities of the workers would remain the same, and no work would be carried out during the night except in emergencies.

He added that in a similar meeting with the Lyari Town administration, it was agreed that a meeting of the town council would be called soon to get its approval for the contract of the solid waste management, after which a meeting between the town administration and the workers’ body would be held to solve the issue regarding the concerns of workers.

The municipal workers, fearing that their service conditions could be changed, are agitating against the privatization of the solid waste management. They fear that the contractor might not give them similar benefits that they were enjoying at the present.

He said administrations of the other towns had not yet approached the workers, who are feeling insecure due to the proposed privatization.

Mr Fareed Awan demanded that the administrations of all the towns should take the workers into confidence so they felt secure that their service conditions would not change after contractors took charge of the sold waste management.