Hardoi Sanitation Workers Strike: 400 Protest Over Unpaid Wages
Around 400 sanitation workers in Hardoi protest over 3 months of unpaid wages and EPF fraud. Council threatens to blacklist the contractor.
The streets of Hardoi witnessed a massive outcry on Monday, November 2, 2026, as approximately 400 outsourced sanitation workers launched a Hardoi sanitation workers strike. The employees, who keep the city clean, took to the roads to protest against three months of unpaid salaries and serious irregularities regarding their Employee Provident Fund (EPF).
March for Justice: From Bade Chauraha to Municipal Office
The protest began with a determined march from Bade Chauraha, leading directly to the Municipal Council (Nagar Palika) office. The workers, pushed to the brink by financial instability, expressed their desperation over the lack of payment. Many reported that the delay has made it nearly impossible to afford basic necessities, including house rent and the education expenses of their children.
The EPF Scam Allegations
Beyond the missing monthly wages, the workers raised a grave allegation regarding their retirement savings. According to the demonstrators, the contractor continued to make salary deductions for the Employee Provident Fund (EPF) from their paychecks. However, they claim these funds were never actually transferred to their EPF accounts, suggesting a misappropriation of their hard-earned money.
The Financial Scale of the Crisis
- Total Arrears: The outstanding salary amount owed to the workers is estimated to be approximately ₹4 crore.
- Duration of Default: Workers have not received their wages for three consecutive months.
- Prior Warning: The strike was not sudden; the employees had issued a formal warning on November 1, stating they would stop work if their demands were not met.
Municipal Council Issues 24-Hour Ultimatum
Responding to the unrest, Hardoi Municipal Council President Sukh Sagar Mishra stepped in to clarify the council's position. He asserted that the Municipal Council had already fulfilled its obligation by releasing the required salary funds to the outsourced company responsible for the workers.
In a stern move against the contractor, Mishra has issued a 24-hour ultimatum. He warned that if the firm fails to disburse the pending payments to the workers within this window, the council will take the following actions:
- The company will be officially blacklisted.
- A First Information Report (FIR) will be filed against the firm.
A History of Unrest
This is not the first time salary delays have sparked tension in the region. In mid-October 2026, local councilors (Sabhasads) had staged their own protests after salaries were delayed by two months. At that time, Chairman Sukh Sagar Mishra had promised a swift resolution, yet the current strike indicates that the systemic issues with the outsourcing firm persist.