CITU members urged that a minimum life security should be ensured to labourers who work in the unorganised sector. All employees in the unorganised sector should be assured atleast Rs 6,000 salary per month.

V D A facility should be provided for the labourers besides P F, Gratuity, ESI, bonus. Compensation should be made available to labourers in case of damages during the working hours. The wages for beedi worker should be revised as per the Consumer Price Index of 2007, the Committee demanded. 

The demand charter also included immediate measures to implement the provisions of Factory Act, Equal Wages Act and maternity leave facilities. Those who were appointed to anganavadis, Gram Panchayats, Asha programme, mid-day meal scheme on temporary basis should be made permanent. All penalties including lay off, pay off, retrenchment and closure should be withdrawn. The labourers should be facilitated with pension, unemployment wages, free health check ups and educational facilities besides providing compulsory identity cards, the organisation demanded. More than 300 activists were arrested and were released later.

General Secretary P Vishvanath Rai, President K Shankar, Mahabala Voder Hobli, Vittal Poojary, Ramesh Mendon, Degu Suvarna and Dasu Bhandari were present.

DH News Service