Statewide Protests in Bihar by Construction Workers
HUNDREDS of workers under the banner of the Bihar State Construction Workers Union affiliated to AICCTU raised slogans against the Modi and Nitish governments and marched from the Patna Public Library to Gardhanibag where they held a dharna against the anti worker policies of the central and state governments in response to the call given by the All India Construction Workers Federation (AICWF). Their demands included: the government must stop appropriating Welfare Board funds and handing them over to corporate houses; end the stay on cess collection for the Welfare Boards in the name of GST; implement the regulations and welfare schemes passed in states under the Act for construction workers in 1996 equally across the country; include sand workers in the construction workers category; residential colonies in cities and residential land pattas in rural areas for workers; re-start grants distribution and registration which have shut down in Bihar; start death benefit grants and family pensions; all state governments should allot funds for construction workers’ Welfare Boards.
Similar protests were also held at all District Headquarters across Bihar and memorandums with 16 demands were submitted to the Central Labour Minister and the Bihar Labour Minister through the Collectors.
AICCTU State Secretary Com. Ranvijay Kumar and other leaders addressing the dharna at Patna said that as soon as they came to power the Modi government attacked workers’ rights, and now they are conspiring to loot Welfare Board funds and hand them over to corporate houses. Nitish Kumar is colluding fully with the central government in this loot and is putting various legal obstacles to obstruct welfare fund distribution as well as registration. The leaders called upon workers to fight their No. 1 Enemy, the Modi and Nitish governments.
Responding to the call by the AICWF, a protest march under the Bihar State Construction Workers Union banner was also held at Bhagalpur. AICCTU State Secretary Com. Mukesh Mukt, District President of the Non-gazetted Workers Association Vishnu Kumar Mandal, CPI(ML) District Secretary Com. Bindeshwari Mandal addressed the protest meeting. The leaders said that the AICWF would never tolerate the government’s conspiracy to loot welfare funds and give them over to corporate houses. A memorandum with demands was submitted to the central and state Labour Ministers through the ADM. The demands included: minimum salary of Rs 22,000 per month; 50% of minimum salary as old age pension; simplify process for registration and grants for construction workers; start registration of all unorganized workers; rainy season relief grant; raise cess to 3%; all India equal and ideal regulations for construction workers to be made; constitute an enquiry commission from the Welfare Board; constitute a separate cell in the Labour offices for work execution of workers; strict laws against gender discrimination and sexual harassment.
