The protest aims to draw attention to these issues and prompt authorities to address the longstanding grievances faced by this essential workforce.
Contractual sanitation workers at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) have recently taken a bold stance against the blatant violation of their legal rights. In a powerful demonstration held at the Office of the Central Labour Commissioner, these workers protested against the systemic issues that have perpetuated their precarious employment conditions within the prestigious university. To subscribe please click tau.id/2iy6f and access our live channel.
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Sucheta De, General Secretary, AIGKU JNU, stated, “The ALC has assured the delegation to initiate steps to ensure implementation of minimum wages and other labour laws in JNU. If appropriate steps are not taken within 15 days, AICCTU will intensify the struggle to ensure that the apathy towards workers rights by the labour office, JNU VC and contractors no more sustains.”
A delegation consisting of Urmila Chavan (former Sanitation workers at JNU presently retrenched from work), Anju Kumari, Sucheta De and Suvarna Swain (JNU AICCTU Office Bearers) met the Assistant Labour Commissioner Mr Rajnish Sangwan. The following issues were raised and a detailed complaint was submitted.
Denial of Legal Minimum Wages
Despite being a central university, JNU does not pay its workers according to minimum wages fixed by the central government. The contractual Sanitation Workers of JNU are its biggest sufferers. According to Minimum Wages Act, making anyone work below the level of stipulated minimum wages is called ‘forced labour’ and the employer is responsible for such violation.
Denial of Salary Slip
Contractual sanitation workers of JNU are being denied of their basic rights of getting salary slip every month. Thus, the service provider as well as JNU is depriving the workers of relevant information regarding deductions from their wages.
Denial of Right to Get Regularized
Retrenchment of contractual workers at whims and fancies of the administration and service provider in complete violation of law of the land continues. Despite working for decades, the contractual workers are being denied of their legal rights of getting regularised.
Denial of Maternity Benefit
Despite being run under a woman Vice-Chancellor, JNU is denying maternity benefit to its women contractual workers. In a recent incident where a woman contractual staff had gone for leave under the Maternity Benefit Act, JNU is denying to pay wages for the leave period to the worker.
Order of Equal Pay for Equal Work
The office of the Deputy Central Labour Commissioner had issued an order of Equal Pay for Equal Work in 2018 for contractual workers of JNU, thereby directing JNU to pay the contractual workers at par with permanent workers on the same post. JNU continues to violate the order till date thereby stealing lakhs of rupees of hard earned wages of the workers.
Barring from Entering the Campus
Contractual workers face threat and intimidation from JNU as well as service provider whenever they demand their rights. The JNU administration has debarred AIGKU JNU President Urmila Chavan and Secretary Sucheta De from entering the campus after the union took up the issue of non-payment.
Conclusion
The AICCTU has intimated JNU several times about the continued violation of workers rights in JNU. Despite this, the violations continue unabated. The delegation briefed the ALC about unabated violation of workers rights in JNU and demanded immediate action.
The protest at the Office of the Central Labour Commissioner serves not only as a demonstration of discontent but also as a call for constructive dialogue between the university administration and the contractual workers.
