Hyderabad: Railway contract workers' demand for statutory facilities grows louder

Hyderabad: The tenure of railway contract staff working in city railway stations is about to end next month. It seems that they are struggling to get their actual wages, as they are being exploited by contractors. They have requested the SCR divisional commercial manager to extend statutory facilities.

There are more than 100 workers serving as housekeepers in 17 railway stations under the jurisdiction of the Secunderabad division. They include those at James Street, Sanjeevaiah Park, Lakdikapul, Khairatabad, Necklace Road, Begumpet, Nature cure hospital, Fathenagar, Sanathnagar, Bharatnagar, Borabanda, Hitech City, Hafeezpet, Chandanagar, Lingampally, BHEL, RC Puram.

The workers are serving under the contract of SR Enterprises. Statutorily, they are to get Rs 654 a day and Rs 17,004 a month, but they are only receiving Rs 7,000 (women) and Rs 8,000 (men). Hyderabad Railway Contract Workers' Union president M Venkatesh said, "many representations were given to the concerned officials of SCR, but all fell on deaf ears. As per contract of two years, the workers' term is to end next month.

For many months they are receiving half the amount of their actual salary. Also, the contractor has not issued any Employees State Insurance (ESI) cards and Provident Fund (PF) account number, though PF amount is deducted." "The workers are devoid of weekly off, holidays on account of any festivals. This is nothing but exploitation of their helplessness. Despite several complaints to railway officials in this regard, no action was taken against the contractor. Even recently a representation was submitted to the concerned officials. It will be better if the railway extends statutory facilities to the contract workers."

A contract worker said, "For the past several months we are struggling to manage our livelihood. Also, we don't have any welfare facilities, including ESI and PF. Also, whenever we ask the concerned person the reason for paying us less, the contractors are threatening to remove us from jobs. It will better if the concerned SCR officials take stern action against contractors and also extend statutory facilities to us."