Contract Workers in Maharashtra Decide Long March

522 delegates, including large number of women, coming from deferent industries and centres in 11 districts of Maharashtra – Mumbai, Nashik, Aurangabad, Pune, Shindhu Durg, Nagpur, Satara, Thane, Sangali, Jalna and Raigad – attended a state level convention of contract workers under CITU banner on 26 October at Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) township in Raigad district. The convention was presided over by CITU vice president K.L. Bajaj.

Inaugurating the convention, CITU general secretary Tapan Sen, MP explained various stages of struggles of the working class since early ‘90s against neoliberal policies especially referring to two nationwide workers agitation and strike in 2012 and in 2013, organized unitedly by all the central trade unions; and on the positive role of trade unions in Maharashtra in these. Tapan Sen demanded of UPA’s central and Congress-NCP’s Maharashtra state governments to settle the just demands of contract workers and effectively enforce law. CITU state general secretary Dr. D.L. Karad moved the convention resolution which recorded the acute and worsening problems of contract workers, appointed even in jobs in permanent and perennial nature of work; in violation of laws denying benefits like PF, ESIS, bonus, gratuity and minimum wages etc; denying the application of the principle of same wage for same work to the contract workers. The enforcement machineries of the state and central governments are helping the employers instead of taking actions against them for violation of labour laws.