A
large number of temporary workers, contracted to the private company handling
operations at the International Air Cargo Complex of Chennai Airport, launched
an indefinite protest on Wednesday.
The protest was in support of their demands, including a hike in
wages, permanency, basic medical and canteen facilities, among others.
The workers are members of an employees union affiliated to the
All India Trade Union Congress and are working for Bhadra International India
Limited. They said the failure of their company as well as the State and
Central government agencies, including the labour departments and Airports
Authority of India, to address their grievances forced them to protest and
abstain from work.
They receive a monthly salary between Rs. 6,000 and Rs.
8,000 and this has remained unchanged for the past two years. According to
Dayanidhi, a handyman, the cargo complex did not even have basic first aid or
an ambulance and other vehicles. The complex did not have a canteen either, he
added.
Without any further delay, the workers should be
made permanent staff of the company and they should be given house rent
allowance, dearness allowance apart from decent canteen facilities, the workers
said.
Gurudas Dasgupta, AITUC leader and Lok Sabha Member of
Parliament, addressed the workers, in support of their demands. Repeated
attempts by The
Hindu to get the reaction of
officials of Bhadra International were in vain. Cargo handling operations were
not affected due to the strike, airport sources said.
No comments:
Post a Comment