Workers from the garments and automobile sectors took out a march on Thursday demanding an end to the contract system and minimum wages as per the latest notification of the Haryana government.
The workers marched from the District Labour Court to the office of the Additional Labour Commissioner (NCR). The march was carried out under the aegis of the Garments and Allied Workers Union (GAWU) and several trade and workers union from the automobile sector. Among these were the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), All-India Trade Union Congress (AITUC), Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS) and Hero Motor Corps Union. Women’s workers collectives like the Nari Shakti Manch and the Gharelu Kamgaar Sangathan also took part in the march.
The demonstrators alleged that they were being denied the minimum wages fixed by the Haryana government through a notification last year, and that its provisions on promotion were also being violated.
The workers said they were still awaiting wages commensurate with their skills and experience, and as prescribed by the law, said the protesters.
They added that such blatant violation of government rules was tantamount to wage theft and forced labour.
GAWU president Anannya Bhattacharjee said that the workers were not seeking more than their legal rights for a decent minimum wage and freedom from the exploitative contract system of recruitment.
She demanded that the government must ensure the implementation of the minimum wages notification of November 2015.
Satbir Singh of the CITU, meanwhile, exhorted the workers to see this as a beginning of a hard struggle that will force the government to implement labour laws.
Maruti Suzuki Kamgaar Union general-secretary Kuldeep Jhangu reminded the gathering that it was impossible to fight this battle if the workers and unions were not united.
“Together we fight, together we win” was his slogan. The agitating workers later submitted a memorandum of demands to the Assistant Labour Commissioners.
