Sanitation workers of Thane mental hospital call off chain hunger strike over minimum wages

Thane: The sanitation workers contracted by the Regional Mental Hospital in Maharashtra's Thane city have called off their nearly month-long chain hunger strike after the administration agreed to pay them salaries as per the mandated minimum wage standards.

The strike was called off on Monday, said Shramik Janata Sangh (SJS), which led the stir.

The strike was suspended following the successful deposit of the workers' salaries as per the mandated minimum wage standards, the SJS said in a release.

The protest had begun on August 13, and as part of it, four cleaners took turns to observe a 24-hour hunger strike. The strike was launched after the hospital administration and the contractor failed to act on the Thane industrial court's order on June 11 that salaries be paid to workers as per the minimum wages, it said.