BENGALURU, 15 JUNE

Karnataka State Poura Karmikas and Safai Karmacharies Workers’ Union and Domestic Workers’ Unions have urged State government to merge them into BBMP as lakhs of them are working for BBMP as contract workers without any job security.

Despite writing 96 recommendation letters to the government about their poor salaries and living conditions no action has been taken yet, civic workers said at a press conference here on Saturday. “Nobody cares about the Pourakarmikas and the government is not doing justice to the workers. After 9 months since the new government took over, we still do not have a solution,” said AM Subrarayadu, the president of the union.

There are 1.04 lakh people working as Pourakarmika in the City and 4,800 of the workers died due to health issues, the union said.

Sashikala, member of the union, said, “We had been receiving Rs 2,000 as a bonus for 8 months but in the last month it was not given. I earn 10,000 per month as a domestic worker and it is tough to take care of my two kids with this money. There is no job security, no social security and no payments during emergencies.”

In July 2022, the Karnataka government agreed in writing to regularise services of all direct payments and daily wages. They also agreed to bring the workers from contract payment to the direct payment system yet these contract workers have not given the wages as promised.

Despite government guidelines, the employees said their work conditions are inhumane and their living conditions are also poor without any healthcare facilities. N Nagaraj, BM Nagar District President, said, “The children of these workers are living in slums and in bad conditions. The work timings are odd and the workers are looked down upon and shunned by the society.”

The union has decided to stage a protest at Freedom Park here on 19 June to raise their demands. -Salar News