Railway Contract Workers’ Convention
Comrade Sunil Mukherjee, a veteran leader and, Office Secretary-cum-Treasurer, All India Committee, AIUTUC inaugurated the first convention of South-Westeren Railways’ Contract Workers held at Hubli, Karnataka on 20 Jnauary 2010. Comrade Mukherjee in his inaugural address said, inter alia “as a result of globlisation, privatisation and liberalisation lakhs of workers are loosing jobs. The 6th pay commission’s recommendations not only advocate wage descriminations but also the abolition of Group-D jobs. Owing to anti-working class policies of globalisation the contract workers are denied of minimum wages and other benefits and rights which were acquired by workers through hard struggle.”
Comrade K. Somashekar, the president of United Railway Contract Workers Union and AIUTUC state secretary, Karnataka, the main speaker, in his address said “the contract workers in the railway dept are facing severe exploitation. They are not paid the wages regularly on the fixed date, they are denied of minimum wages, medical facilities and even the PF. they are working in unhygenic condition.” Calling upon the workers to fight for their rights he said that the workers must demand for continuation of their work even if the contractor changes, stoppage of threatening them of firing if they demand justice and urged the management to re-instate the workers removed from their jobs. He called upon the workers to wage a powerful movement against privatisation.
Comrade Mahapatra demanded for putting an end to contract system and regulalrisation of services.
All India UTUC Andhra Pradesh incharge Comrades K. Sudhir and Maharashtra railway workers’ leader Comrade Anil Thyagi also addressed the gathering, presided over by the General Secretary of the Union Comrade Shashidhar.
Hundreds of workers from Mysore, Bangalore and Hubli divisions participated in the convention. Before the convention they marched in a procession through the city and submitted a memorandum to the General Manager of SWR at Hubli.
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