As the indefinite strike of the community organisers (CO) in Kozhikode Municipal Corporation enters the 11th day, no solution seems to be in sight for the eight COs on strike.
The COs who have been working in the Corporation since 1999 are on strike demanding a decent pay considering their contribution and experience. They also want their jobs to be made permanent. On the fifth day of strike, Mayor A.K. Premajam had called the protesters for a meeting in which they were asked to withdraw the strike for a slight increase in their pay, which was however declined.
“Why should we agree to an increase of Rs.1,000 or Rs.1,500 when a government order in 2011 entitles us to a much better pay?” asked a protestor, adding that their counterparts in Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram Corporations were paid around Rs.25,000 and their job was permanent. “We were the ones who worked to build Kudumbasree Mission in the Corporation. We visited houses, persuaded the women to cooperate with us, constituted neighbourhood groups, and helped develop the institution. As a result the Corporation got the award for the best Kudumbasree outfit. We were given appreciation certificates, but are certificates enough to fill our stomachs?
Kudumbasree, the institution we helped build just completed 16 years and grand celebrations were held. Did anyone inquire what our plight was? We do the work of health inspectors in the Corporation for a paltry pay of Rs.1,500. Helping alleviate poverty, we live in literal poverty,” says Gayatri M., a protester.
The COs in neighbouring Koyilandy and Vadakara municipalities are paid much higher and were made permanent employees long back. But the Kozhikode Corporation has been accused of turning a blind eye towards the plight of the COs. With their legal age for a government or private job long past, these women have no other alternative but to continue in the present job. They allege that the Corporation is exploiting them.
The COs made clear their intention to continue with the protest until justice is served.
