* State-wide protest in front of office of District-in-charge Ministers in every district on 15November.
* All powrakarmikas working as garbage vehicle drivers, helpers, cleaners and loaders, and water supply department workers, should be brought under direct payment system.
* Contract labour system must be abolished.
* Congress Government must implement their promise to the Powrakarmikas.
All India Central Council of Trade Unions (AICCTU) and the Karnataka State Municipal Corporations,Municipal Councils, Municipalities, Town Panchayat Outsourced Workers Organization, jointly demand that the Congress government should keep its election promises and bring under direct payment system aall the pourakarmikas including garbage vehicle drivers, helpers, cleaners and loaders as also water supply department workers. In support of this demand a protest will be held in front of the office of the -District In-charge Ministers in all districts on 15h November the slogan “Keep your promises – Act like you promised”.
Solid waste management is an obligatory duty of urban local bodies. It is an essential service and work of continuous nature. Due to the massive struggle, pourakarmikas employed as sweepers have beenbrought under direct payment system in 2017. However, other pourakarmikas like drivers, helpers,loaders and cleaners who collect, transport and dispose of garbage are hired under sham contract systems. Everyone is aware of the gross injustice and harassment meted out to these workers by theofficials and contractors. Workers are not even paid minimum wages, and even these low wages are not paid on time regularly. Sometimes wages are not paid 3-6 months. These workers have no socialsecurity facilities and are denied decent working conditions and basic amenities. If the workers rais their voice demanding their rights, they are fired or other threats are made. Although outsourcing of core and continuous nature of work is illegal under the Contract Labour (Regulation and Abolition) Act,1970, the urban local bodies are using bogus contracting system and denying these workers their legitimate rights.
All India Central Council of Trade Unions (AICCTU), Karnataka State Municipal Corporations, Municipal Councils, Municipalities, Town Panchayat Outsourced Workers Organization and other organizations had gone on an indefinite strike from 01.07.2022 across Karnataka, demanding that all pourakarmikasbe made permanent. Shri Siddaramaiah also came to this protest and assured that all demands would be met when Congress came to power. As the strike continued the then Chief Minister Shri Bommai held a meeting with the organisations and assured, in writing, that all pourakarmikas would be made permanent and the drivers/cleaners/loaders/helpers would be brought under direct payment system.
Thereafter in March 2023, another protest was carried out in Freedom Park, Bengaluru demanding that drivers/cleaners/loaders/helpers would be brought under direct payment system. Shri Shashikant Senthil came to the protest as a representative of the Congress party and assured that all demands would be met when Congress came to power. This is also reflected in the manifesto of the Congress forthe 2023 elections. However, so far the Congress government has not fulfilled its promise.
Therefore we demand that the contract labour system should be completely abolished and all powrakarmikas working as drivers, helpers, loaders and cleaners in solid waste management, andcontract workers in water supply department, should be brought under the direct payment system and should be made permanent.
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