Delhi Metro workers demonstrated at Jantar Mantar on Thursday in protest against the alleged “serious and open violation” of labour laws by the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC).
Coming together under the banner of Delhi Metro Rail Kamgar Union (DMRKU), the workers expressed strong opposition to the “unreasonable termination” of around 250 workers by the DMRC which would be effective from 1 June. They also burned the effigy of ‘Metro Management’.
DMRKU activists later handed over a memorandum along with a list of their demands to the Labour Commissioner and DMRC Managing Director Mangu Singh.
Criticising the Metro management, DMKU secretary Ajay said: “The contract of the company which does the work of giving tokens at metro ends and because of that the Metro administration decided to terminate jobs of 250 token machine operators who work on the R.K. Ashram to Dwarka metro station line.”
Demanding implementation of labour laws in Delhi Metro, he said: “Being the principal employer DMRC should take the responsibility of these workers. We demand that Metro should reinstate the workers even after the tender of the company working on contract ends.”
Talking about the future plans of the workers, Shivani from Bigul Mazdoor Dasta said: “To extend this struggle further DMRKU will file a public interest litigation, asking that the provision to hire contract workers for jobs of permanent nature, be made illegal.’’
