Unions seek job assurance, free rail tickets for migrant workers

NEW DELHI: Trade unions have sought a concrete assurance on jobs, minimum wages and adequate safety measures at the workplace for workers to get back at work. They have sought cash incentives and free rail tickets for workers, along with cash benefit of Rs 7,500 per month for three months for non-income tax paying families, to help them tide over the financial crunch.

Ten trade unions collectively raised these demands in a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently.

Unavailability of workers could be a big deterrent for the industry looking to resume operations.


Besides, the unions have refused to oblige the government demand to mobilise workers to restart economic activity, saying distressed workers must go back home.

This comes a day after labour secretary Heeralal Samariya addressed trade unions and urged them to instil confidence among workers to resume work wherever possible.
“Government must frame a comprehensive package for migrant workers. They will resume work automatically if they have job assurance,” said Amarjeet Kaur, general secretary, All India Trade Union Congress.

Kaur said workers were distressed because of lack of work and being away from their families. “Hence their first priority is to be with their families and join work later,” she said.

Trade unions also said the government should have approached the issue of lockdown and opening up of businesses and industry in a more planned way to avoid such a situation. They also demanded free ration for all workers.

“Compulsory methods should not be adopted to dissuade migrant workers going to their home (reverse migration) to join their families,” said Virjesh Upadhyay, general secretary of Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS), the trade wing of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. “Instead, they should be provided incentives to come back to host states like cash incentives, electronic passes, free train tickets, etc."

“This is the time to show your willingness towards helping out the workers who are the most distressed section of the society,” said Ashok Singh, president of Congress-backed Indian National Trade Union Congress. He said the government needs to prioritise help to millions of workers and farmers.

Besides, the unions demanded that the Centre restrain states from amending their labour laws to allow longer shift hours as it would be detrimental to industrial peace. “While the government should strengthen the existing Inter-state Migrant Workers’ Act, it should also abandon any changes in labour laws by different states at this point,” said Hemlata, president, the Centre of Indian Trade Unions.

The labour ministry has issued multiple advisories to employers to ensure they do not cut salaries or throw workers out of work.