A total of 8,050 contract workers from various departments of the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) have launched an indefinite work stoppage protest under the leadership of Samaj Samata Kamgar Sangh. The strike, which began on Monday morning (Feb. 10), demands equal pay for equal work.

The strike has severely impacted the city's cleanliness, with garbage piling up in Nerul, Juinagar, and Belapur. On the first day, heaps of waste remained uncollected, causing inconvenience to residents.
Amid the growing crisis, Shiv Sena (UBT) has publicly supported the contract workers' protest. Party leaders from Navi Mumbai joined the demonstrations at Koparkhairane Dumping Ground and Turbhe Dumping Ground, standing in solidarity with the agitating workers.

Shiv Sena (UBT) leaders Pravin Mhatre, District Chief, Airoli Assembly Constituency, Suryakant Madhavi, Deputy-District Chief, Mahesh Koti Wale, Deputy-City Chief, Siddharam Shilwant, Division Chief were present.

Speaking on behalf of the protestors, Mangesh Lad, General Secretary of Samaj Samata Kamgar Sangh, clarified that the strike is not meant to inconvenience Navi Mumbaikars, but is a result of administrative neglect. He stated that the workers were forced to take this extreme step after repeated demands for wage equality were ignored.

As the strike continues, residents are facing mounting sanitation issues, with waste collection services paralyzed in several parts of the city. The workers have vowed to continue their protest until their demands are met.

The strike has drawn attention to labour rights issues within municipal governance, with political parties and civic authorities now under pressure to resolve the crisis swiftly.

Meanwhile, the protest was called off by evening after assurance by the Additional Commissioner. “The Additional Commissioner has assured us that a positive decision will be made on the 12th, and immediate action will follow based on the report received. If the meeting's outcome includes a salary increase, we will welcome it; however, if it does not, we are prepared to protest to ensure the committee's recommended salary given”, Mangesh Lad, Secretary, Samaj Samata Kamgar Sangh.