Head load workers’ issues highlighted at district-level conference

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangalore, Apr 20: The Mangalore Head Load Workers’ Association and CITU jointly organized the DK district conference of head load workers’ federation at NGO Hall on April 20, Tuesday.

 

 

 

 

 

 

State Vice President of CITU inaugurated the conference and said that the rich people maintain their standards of living while their poor employees continue as their servants. Speaking of CITU as a lone organization fighting for the rights of the poor and the working classes, he said that most organizations do not really care for the poor, but are only interested in publicity, which they gain by giving attractive speeches.

Listing out the various woes of the head load workers, he said that they are a completely neglected lot, who do not receive any government facility such as bonuses, minimum wages, holidays, and holiday salaries.

Pointing out that President Prathibha Patel had admitted the necessity of price hike and that the Union Finance Minister had agreed with her and said that the inflation rate will soon be in double digits, he said that this puts the head load workers in a difficult position. He also said that the head load workers do not even get two square meals a day in spite of their hard work.

Accusing the BJP-led state government of failure to keep the promises it made in Assembly of providing rice at subsidized rates, he urged the government to provide 34kg subsidized food grains per month at the rate of Rs 2 per kilo for the poor. Saying that the prices have gone up and the quantity has gone down, he demanded subsidized and universal PDS via legislation, equal wages, and equal rights for women.

Working President Sunil Kumar Bajal accused the police department of harassing head load workers for no reason. He also said that the head load workers are given APL cards because of the availability of TV, LPG, and other facilities in their homes. He, therefore, urged the government to provide BPL cards and all the facilities that go with it to the head load workers.

Saying that DK has thousands of head load workers who lack basic facilities, he urged each worker to work for the welfare of other workers and to develop the required qualities to fight against injustice.

Balakrishna presided over the conference; K Mahantesh was the chief guest; and Yogesh Jeppina Mogaru was the comperer. Nazeer Bengre, Rafiq Bantwal, and others were the dignitaries on the dais.