Provide better wages, DA; Rly contract workers demand

Hyderabad: Railway contract workers on Tuesday staged dharna in front of Rail Nilayam, Secunderabad on Tuesday demanding to pay minimum wage as per the act and implement Dearness Allowance (DA) to Railway Contract Workers as per labour laws.

Protestors pointed out that railway contract workers working in different railway stations in Hyderabad and Secunderabad divisions are struggling to get their actual wages, are deprived of job security, and the Dearness Allowance (DA)(Rs 711 per month) which was to implemented from October has not being implemented yet. Another concern is that, in the name of minimising the expenditure the Railway management is trying to reduce the workers leading to extra burden on the existing contract workers.

M Venkatesh, president, Hyderabad Railway Contract Workers Union, said, "More than 100 contract workers are working in various departments like permanent way, mechanical, signal, operating, electrical, workshops, manufacturing units, supply of bed rolls, loading and unloading of parcels and goods in the goods sheds in the railway stations of Hyderabad and Secunderabad division. Many of us have been working against the sanctioned vacant posts for many years with the hope of getting regularised someday but nothing has happened till date, Because of this many contract workers are been removed from duty and wages for three days is being cut if anyone is off-duty for even a single day."

"For the past several months, we are struggling to manage our livelihood. We are not been paid our full salary which is Rs 18,000 per month and are only receiving half the salary. We do not even have any welfare facilities that include ESI cards and PF. We are vexed of complaining the South Central Railway (SCR) officials regarding these issues. Hence, to open the eyes of the officials, we staged a dharna. It will be better if SCR provides minimum wages eligible facilities and job guarantee to contract workers," said D Rama (name changed) a railway contractor.