COLLECTION,TRANSPORTATION AND DISPOSAL OF URBAN SOLID WASTE 51
allow for (technological) innovations with possible cost saving effects. Secondly, the
duration of contracts is only 10 months (with a pre and post monsoon period of 5
months each) resulting in low job security for the entrepreneur and his/her workers
These reasons explain why private contractors rarely invest in their activity, as is
apparent in the fact that almost all of them hire their vehicles rather than owning them.
A disadvantage of the contracting system adopted in Hyderabad is that it has not
contributed to the introduction of new technologies in SWC. Obviously, this is related
to the requirement for the contractors to hire specified numbers of workers In addition,
they claim that the typical short duration of contracts does not enable them to recover
the costs of investment in trucks or mechanized sweeping equipment.
Employment and labour conditions
The total number of labourers engaged in SWC has increased significantly since the
introduction of privatisation policies. Under the unit system 3,650 new workers were
recruited. A major question is how their labour conditions compare to those of the
MCH-workers The average net wage of the latter is three times higher than that of the
private sector worker. Furthermore, government employees enjoy several non-wage
benefits, including pensions, health insurance, leave days, working clothes and boots,
and cleaning products. Most of the private sector workers have to do without such
fringe benefits. As a matter of course contractors flout contract requirements
concerning the welfare of their workers Almost without exception they do not
contribute to Employees State Insurance (ESI) and Provident Fund (PF). The average
monthly wage of a worker is Rs 1,100, while the contract requires payment of the
minimum wage of Rs 1,300. Female workers are supposed not to be engaged in night
shifts to protect them from being harassed, yet almost all night workers are women.
Security of employment is another aspect where private sector workers compare unfa-
vourably with their colleagues in government service. MCH-workers are permanently
employed, while contract labourers in the private sector can be dismissed any time.
The short duration of the service contracts implies that their jobs are guaranteed for
only that period. In fact, the position of contract labourers has even become more
insecure as a result of MCH intervention. In an attempt to avoid the abolishment of the
financially attractive labour contracting system adopted by the contractors, the munic-
ipality adapted contract specifications at the cost of the workers (labelling their work
‘non-permanent’; dropping the demand for ESI and PF facilities; removing the obli-
gation to wear uniforms). It needs to be said, however, that despite these apparent
discriminations the labourers concerned are rather satisfied with their jobs, which
compares favourably in terms of remuneration and security to positions they held
earlier on in their career.
Most people employed in SWC consider the workload to be very heavy and claim that
the job is causing them health problems. However, if the MCH workers are sick they