[India] Women construction labourers urge minimum wage enforcement

Women construction labourers who recently participated in a State-level conference organised by Tamil Nadu AITUC Construction Workers Union have urged the government to fix their retirement age at 50 years, The Hindu reports.

The conference also appealed to the State government to ensure that these labourers are provided with the minimum wage of ₹650 daily in accordance with a GO issued as per the Minimum Wages Act. Resolutions to this effect were unanimously adopted at the conference, which was attended by around 400 women construction labourers from across the State.

Health issues

One of the resolutions said that women labourers participated in tough physical labour even while taking care of their families and experiencing gynaecological and other health-related issues.

These factors led to many of them being left unable to carry on with construction work at a comparatively young age. Several workers above the age of 40 and 45 were being ‘ignored’ for construction work. Hence, they argued, the State government should make suitable changes in rules relating to construction labourers welfare and fix the retirement age of registered women construction labourers as 50 years and provide them with a pension once they attained the age.

Women labourers were being provided with daily wages ranging between ₹200 and ₹ 400, another resolution said and urged the State government to take steps to ensure that they were provided with a minimum wage of ₹650 daily as per a government order issued earlier.

Fifteen resolutions were adopted during the conference, presided over by AITUC national secretary Vahida Nizam. The meet deliberated problems confronted by women construction labourers and made an action plan for resolving them.

Another resolution reportedly said there were hundreds of thousands of women labourers involved in construction activities in Tamil Nadu who joined as sithaal and retired in that category. The State government should identify eligible labourers and enhance their vocational skills by imparting them training in masonry, electrical works, plumbing, crane operation and carpentry along with a stipend through the Tamil Nadu Construction Workers Welfare Board.

The State government should come out with a separate scheme in this regard, the women recommended, which would not only help in honing the skills of women but also help in raising their standard of living.

An additional resolution said the labourers were involved in the nation’s development from their young age and therefore it was essential to ensure their social security in their old age. Hence, the State government should ensure that they were provided with a minimum pension of ₹6,000.

Legal rights

The conference also discussed the need to establish the legal rights of women construction labourers and announced the formation of a 76-member State committee and a 17-member State organising committee. Among those who attended the conference were K. Ravi, general secretary of the Tamil Nadu AITUC Construction Workers Union.

Source: The Hindu

Women construction labourers who recently participated in a State-level conference organised by Tamil Nadu AITUC Construction Workers Union have urged the government to fix their retirement age at 50 years, The Hindu reports.

The conference also appealed to the State government to ensure that these labourers are provided with the minimum wage of ₹650 daily in accordance with a GO issued as per the Minimum Wages Act. Resolutions to this effect were unanimously adopted at the conference, which was attended by around 400 women construction labourers from across the State.

Health issues

One of the resolutions said that women labourers participated in tough physical labour even while taking care of their families and experiencing gynaecological and other health-related issues.

These factors led to many of them being left unable to carry on with construction work at a comparatively young age. Several workers above the age of 40 and 45 were being ‘ignored’ for construction work. Hence, they argued, the State government should make suitable changes in rules relating to construction labourers welfare and fix the retirement age of registered women construction labourers as 50 years and provide them with a pension once they attained the age.

Women labourers were being provided with daily wages ranging between ₹200 and ₹ 400, another resolution said and urged the State government to take steps to ensure that they were provided with a minimum wage of ₹650 daily as per a government order issued earlier.

Fifteen resolutions were adopted during the conference, presided over by AITUC national secretary Vahida Nizam. The meet deliberated problems confronted by women construction labourers and made an action plan for resolving them.

Another resolution reportedly said there were hundreds of thousands of women labourers involved in construction activities in Tamil Nadu who joined as sithaal and retired in that category. The State government should identify eligible labourers and enhance their vocational skills by imparting them training in masonry, electrical works, plumbing, crane operation and carpentry along with a stipend through the Tamil Nadu Construction Workers Welfare Board.

The State government should come out with a separate scheme in this regard, the women recommended, which would not only help in honing the skills of women but also help in raising their standard of living.

An additional resolution said the labourers were involved in the nation’s development from their young age and therefore it was essential to ensure their social security in their old age. Hence, the State government should ensure that they were provided with a minimum pension of ₹6,000.

Legal rights

The conference also discussed the need to establish the legal rights of women construction labourers and announced the formation of a 76-member State committee and a 17-member State organising committee. Among those who attended the conference were K. Ravi, general secretary of the Tamil Nadu AITUC Construction Workers Union.

Source: The Hindu