Navi Mumbai Forum Demands Immediate Salary Payment for MTNL Security Guards Ahead of Labour Day | File Photo
Navi Mumbai: With Labour Day approaching, the Sajag Nagrik Manch has issued a strong appeal to the Brihanmumbai-Thane Security Guards Board, demanding the immediate release of pending salaries for over 400 security guards employed with MTNL.
The Navi Mumbai based forum has called the non-payment of wages since December 2024 a serious violation of workers’ rights.
According to the forum, while the salary for November was disbursed only in the first week of March, wages for the months of December through March remain unpaid. On April 25, members of the forum, along with affected security guards, met with board officials and submitted a formal memorandum seeking urgent intervention.
Despite the meeting, no visible action has been taken, the forum claims. It further objected to the board’s suggestion of giving 75% advance payment upon application, stating that such measures are inadequate and unjust. “Guards who have worked for the entire month are entitled to their full wages. Timely payment is not a privilege—it is their fundamental right,” the memorandum emphasized.
The delay in salary disbursement has reportedly led to severe hardships among the guards, many of whom are the sole earners in their families. Issues such as loan repayment defaults, difficulties in paying children’s school fees, and strained family relationships have been reported. In some cases, the forum revealed, guards have even expressed suicidal thoughts, making the situation deeply concerning.
While the board has cited MTNL’s poor financial condition as a reason for the delay, the forum dismissed the claim, pointing out that MTNL’s officers and employees continue to receive salaries regularly. The forum also highlighted similar complaints from guards deployed at the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), one of the wealthiest civic bodies in the country, where salary delays persist.
The Sajag Nagrik Manch has urged the board to take several corrective steps, including fixing a monthly salary disbursement date, creating a government-supported reserve fund, and initiating legal action against establishments that fail to pay on time. It has also demanded strict quality control over uniforms, shoes, and raincoats supplied to guards and called for an end to corruption in procurement.
Copies of the memorandum have been sent to the Maharashtra Labour Commissioner, the Executive Director of MTNL Mumbai, and the BMC Commissioner. The forum has expressed hope that the authorities will respond with sensitivity and take immediate legal steps to ensure justice for the security guards.
