ATLANTA, US—Striking employees who were demanding a 40 percent salary increase reached an agreement with the management of Blantyre Water Board late Thursday, effectively bringing “life” as water was turned back on in Blantyre, Malawi’s main commercial hub.

Sources tell MaraPost the agreement was reached with the help of ministers of water development and labour. Details of the agreement remain sketchy but it was good enough for the employees to agree to suspend their strike which started Monday.

On Wednesday, when employees concluded that management wasn’t going to budge, they cut off the water supply.

The disconnection, which brought the city of about 730, 000 people to its knees, affected businesses, households and main hospital Queen Elizabeth.

BWB, whose slogan is ‘Water is Life’, was hammered for inconveniencing its customers while the strike was on.
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©2012 The Maravi Post. Reproduction authorised, with usual acknowledgment.