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Bengaluru: Pourakarmikas (sanitation workers) held a victory celebration conference, marking the abolition of contract labour, while pressing the government to address their other pending demands.
The All India Municipal and Sanitation Workers Federation—All India Central Council of Trade Unions (AICCTU) released a booklet, titled 'Safaikaramcharis and Other Sanitation Workers–The Struggle for Liberation'.
A press note said the predominantly Dalit women pourakarmikas had waged a relentless struggle to end the “exploitative” contract system. Their efforts, it added, had culminated in a “great victory” with the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) issuing certificates recognising them as permanent employees.
Nirmala, president of the BBMP Pourakarmikara Sangha, said: "The entire country is talking about the victory of BBMP pourakarmikas. This victory was built on the relentless efforts of the union and the workers. Earlier, they earned only Rs 2,000–Rs 5,000 a month despite working full-time. Now, they are able to live with dignity with a monthly wage of Rs 41,000.”
Pourakarmikas' union leader Maniyamma urged the government to extend the regularisation scheme to all workers across sectors in Karnataka.
Calling the struggle “historic”, AICCTU national vice-president Clifton Rozario urged the government to also address demands relating to housing, education, and implementation of the IPD Salappa Committee recommendations.