The Joint Action Council of various trade unions staged a protest in the city on Tuesday against the irregularities in welfare boards for unorganised workers.
Led by K.G. Jagannathan, head, JAC, the workers, numbering around 200, said that they should not be asked to obtain village administrative officer’s signature for enrolment. The welfare boards should instead accept trade union membership and letter as proof for enrolment.
Though the welfare boards accepted trade unions’ letter and membership as evidence for enrolment or renewal of membership, over the past few years they had started demanding letter from the village administrative officers. Workers were put to trouble because of the introduction of such a rule. The State government must do away with the present rule and restore the earlier rule that facilitated easy enrolment process.
The JAC also sought increase in various welfare assistance, which, they said, were fixed many years ago and did not reflect the increased cost of living of today. They also wanted the formation of committee involving labourers, welfare board members and trade union representatives to chart out activities for the boards.
