Construction workers struck work and demonstrated in front of the Kurnool Collectorate carrying spades and other work tools on Monday on a 12-point charter of demands including establishment of a State Welfare Board.
The government was inept in implementing the All-India Building Construction Workers Welfare Act, CITU State general secretary and former MLA M.A. Gafoor alleged. The government merely spent Rs. 78 crores for workers’ welfare this year, out of a welfare fund of Rs. 1,000 crore, he added. Welfare claims of thousands of construction workers were pending as the Labour Department officials claimed non-release of funds.
Lakhs of workers lost employment due to rise in prices of steel, cement and sand owing to the government’s policies, Mr. Gafoor alleged. Hike in cement price to Rs. 400 and tenfold increase in sand price to Rs. 1,000 per cubic metre led to lack of man-days of work, the former MLA said.
Their other demands included extension of the Construction Workers Welfare Act to brick kiln and sand quarry workers, enhancement of welfare scheme component, issue of Smart cards to construction workers and fix the minimum monthly wage of unorganised labour at Rs. 15,000.
Construction workers crossing 50 years of age must be granted a pension of Rs. 5,000 and pending claims of workers must be cleared expeditiously, Mr. Gafoor demanded. CITU district secretary Radhakrishna, Building Constructin Workers Union district president T. Ramudu, secretary S. Sudhakarappa, CITU city president Rajagopal, secretary E. Pulla Reddy and others participated.
