BENGALURU: BBMP civic workers held a protest to demand ‘equal pay for equal work’ for all contract pourakarmikas here on Wednesday.
The BBMP Guttige Pourakarmikara Sangha staged the protest with about 2,000 pourakarmikas at Karmika Bhavan between 11.30 am and 3.30 pm. In June this year, the state government had promised to regularise all pourakarmikas in the state. It took a decision to regularise about 11,000 of them, including 5,500 from Bengaluru. However, over 25,000 workers are estimated to be in the city.
Labour Commissioner R R Jannu told the protesting workers that the Labour Department had sent a letter to the BBMP Commissioner seeking an explanation as to why the wages of pourakarmikas had been delayed. He also promised to conduct a meeting with BBMP officials within two weeks regarding lack of amenities, equal pay for equal work, and leaves that the workers are entitled to.
The Sangha’s general secretary Nirmala said, “The struggle is going to escalate from now on. We will not only demand regular payment of wages and arrears, but also seek weekly-off and basic amenities. We will also demand the immediate abolition of contract system. BBMP must pay workers directly and also make them permanent workers.”