Construction workers rally for job security, fair wages

From Our Correspondent

SILCHAR, June 1: The members of the All Assam Construction Workers’ Union, Cachar unit, affiliated to CITU, raised their pitch for increasing the retirement pension to a minimum of Rs.2000 per month. In this regard, the Union brought out a rally which started from rsingtola ground and concluded before the Assistant Labour Commissioner’s office today. The rally was part of the tionwide protest demonstration called by the Federation of All India Construction Workers’. The leaders of the Union said that presently more than 10 lakh workers are enlisted in various construction works across Assam. According to them, a majority of them are living from hand to mouth due to lack of proper wages and without any social security.

The leaders further expressing their anguish said that the workers have been deprived of many basic amenities and privileges. They threw light on the Welfare of House and Other Construction Workers’ Act, 1996, which has made provision for basic rights and privileges to the construction workers. The Union leaders also presented an eight point charter of demands which include fincial benefits allotted as per Welfare of House and Other Construction Workers Act, 1996 that wanted enhancement, considering the existing inflation.

They also demanded that workers getting injured during working hours should be provided fincial assistance for their treatment by the Workers’ Welfare Board. The registration cards of the workers should be converted to smartcards, providing every worker Rashriya Suraksha Bima Yoja (RSBY) card and increasing the fincial assistance for treatment from Rs.30,000 to Rs.1 lakh per employee. They should also be provided proper housing and the minimum pension be raised to Rs.2000 per month along with other demands. The demands also included provision of onetime scholarship for the workers up to the degree level of education as well as social security to the migrant workers from one state to another.