New Delhi: High drama ensued at the Secretariat Thursday, as a team of six representatives from the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) sat on the floor near the reception, demanding a meeting with Delhi CM Atishi.
Outside the Secretariat, a crowd of nearly 500 workers from 11 departments of the Delhi government waited in anticipation.
The workers have been demanding clearance of unpaid dues, increase in minimum wages, and job security. Protesters included people from the department of health and family welfare, Delhi Jal Board, Delhi Transport Corporation, women and child development department, workers of state-run hospitals, and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD).
“I had to borrow money from a neighbour to come here and join the protest. I have come all the way from Faridabad. I lost my job in November 2023, and haven’t been reinstated yet. I have worked for the Delhi Jal Board as a contractual labourer for almost 10 years, and am in a desperate condition,” said a sewerage worker, who did not wish to be named.
Sitting under the CITU flag, protesters raised slogans of ‘Delhi sarkaar murdabaad’ and ‘mazdoor ekta ki jai’. They had planned to start their march from Delhi’s Rajghat to the Secretariat, but were stopped near the National Gandhi Museum. Not allowed to go ahead, they sent a delegation of six representatives inside the Secretariat.
Virendra Gaur, secretary of CITU, was among those who went for the meeting inside but came out empty handed. “They are not allowing us to meet anyone, neither the chief minister nor the principal secretary. But today, I assure you we will meet someone, we will demand our rights and we will not back down!” Gaur exclaimed.
Workers’ woes
Workers of different departments ThePrint spoke to shared their woes, and since most of them were contractual labourers, they complained of not even making minimum wages.
“We were earning a pittance, somewhere between Rs 10,000 and 12,000, were then laid off between August and November 2023, and some of us still haven’t been reinstated since. A lot of our workers are on the verge of starvation, facing eviction from our landlords; some are even suicidal,” Sudheer, a contractual sewerage worker, told ThePrint.
According to an order by the Office of the Labour Commissioner, the minimum wages in Delhi Jal Board for unskilled workers is currently Rs 18,000 per month or Rs 695 per day, but workers claim they are not making even this minimum wage.
“We don’t even get proper gear when we clear the drains of Delhi. We have no job security, no provident fund; nothing. We are essential workers and should get our dues,” Ishant, another sewerage worker, told ThePrint.
Meanwhile, Anganwadi supervisors were also present at the scene, and complained that they had not received their salaries in the last six months.
“We are all on contract and don’t even have paid leaves. We are all doing extra work to supplement our income. Permanent employees are making more than Rs 70,000 a month, while in unregulated, outsourced jobs, workers are not even making minimum wage,” a supervisor, who wished not to be named, complained.
Shehzaad Khan, an employee on the MCD payroll, said the biggest issue in the corporation is that children of deceased employees are not getting permanent jobs there. “It is their right, yet their files are stuck in babus’ offices. Till when will this work?” he asked.
Workers also complained that civil servants make them do additional work in their households like washing utensils and other chores if a domestic worker does not show up, and even get their water tanks cleaned. “I have even worked at the weddings of officials’ children and washed utensils, without being compensated for it. Saying no is not a choice as I could get fired if I protest,” Sudheer added.
The workers had earlier held a discussion about their complaints at the Constitution Club of India in New Delhi, and had staged a protest at Jhandewalan. They will be staging more protests in the coming days, but are tired of becoming “aandolanjeevis”, the workers claim.
“Should I work or should I keep fighting for rights. I am done. My tongue is tired of complaining and my eyes are tired of crying. I just want timely pay, at least minimum wage. Is that too much to ask for?” sighed the Delhi Jal Board worker from Faridabad.
(Edited by Radifah Kabir)
Also Read: ‘Fair wages, job security for contractual staff’. What protesting DTC workers want from Delhi govt