Mandi CITU conference calls for protecting labour rights

The 11th district conference of the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) was held in Mandi, where a new 35-member district committee was elected unanimously. Bhupender Singh was re-elected as the district president for the third time. Rajesh Sharma was elected as general secretary, while Ramesh Guleria became the treasurer. Surender Sharma, Bimla Sharma, Gurdas Verma, Ravikant, Bimla Devi and Gopender Kumar were elected as vice-presidents. Secretarial roles were given to Rajender Kumar, Sudarshana, Anjula, Tirmal Singh, Lalita Devi and Man Singh.

During the conference, district president Bhupender Singh said seven important resolutions were passed. These included demands for a clear policy to regularise around 50,000 outsourced and contract workers, giving them the status and benefits of departmental employees. The union also demanded that Anganwadi, Mid-Day Meal and ASHA workers be made regular government employees with pension and other financial support after retirement.

They called for providing iPhones to Anganwadi workers for online duties, a promotion policy for helpers, and proper staffing in all schools for the mid-day meal scheme. They also demanded that no worker be removed based on student numbers, that pending Rs 500 honorarium increases be released, and that central and state honorariums be paid together.

Other demands included guaranteed work for all MNREGA job card holders, and withdrawal of any orders denying work to people whose spouse has another job. The union urged that all workers under MNREGA be given work as per law. They also raised concerns about the delay in disbursement of financial aid by the State Workers’ Welfare Board and demanded an end to political interference in its functioning.

The union called for regular meetings of urban street vendor committees, proper registration, and issuance of licenses. For ambulance workers, they demanded overtime pay for 12-hour shifts, implementation of minimum wage, legal rulings and provision of proper leaves, vehicle repairs, and social security benefits like PF and ESI.

Regular salaries and departmental status were also demanded for sewerage and sanitation workers. The union said that local youth should be given priority in employment in highway and four-lane construction projects. They opposed the current government’s practice of appointing political favourites in the name of labour recruitment and demanded that vacant posts be filled through regular and daily wage policies so that workers have a path to permanent employment.

CITU also resolved to educate workers against rising communal hatred being spread in the name of religion, caste, and region, and to fight for the restoration of labour laws and control of rising prices.

Thirty delegates from Mandi district will attend the state conference in Solan from October 26 to 28. Representatives will also take part in the joint farmer-worker conference in Shimla on October 13, which will focus on land acquisition and national highway issues.