Madho, who came from a village in Azamgarh a month ago, earns Rs 100 a day, less than half the minimum wage of Rs 203 in Delhi. He says he is given food thrice a day by the contractor and an extra Rs 50 if he skips any meal.
On most days, he works for 12 hours, for which he gets Rs 100 over and above his wage. This is half the Rs 200 overtime he should get. Madho says he knows this. But he has few options. He has virtually been bought by the contractor.
The contractor has already paid money for a month-and-a-half to his family. He occasionally gets a hundred or two as a stipend for daily expenses. His transportation and food needs are also taken care of. Labour laws don’t apply here, for he is not on the rolls of the builder, in this case DLF. His employer is a contractor who is not answerable to anyone.
The 200 workers at the site, for instance, had some 20 different contractors. The Centre for Indian Trade Unions says most workers deployed for various projects related to the Commonwealth Games are bonded labourers.
The fact that these workers have been forced to work at half the minimum wage has been the subject of litigation, with an NGO, People’s Union for Democratic Rights, moving the Delhi High Court on the matter. PUDR says the employers and their contractors have gained Rs 360 crore a year by not paying an estimated 40,000 workers their minimum wages.
The Delhi High Court asked the employers, including Delhi Metro Rail Corporation, New Delhi Municipal Corporation, Municipal Corporation of Delhi and others to register the workers and ensure they got their rightful wages. Madho says his pictures have been taken for the purpose.
This may be an example of modern-day bonded labour. In the absence of any worker union taking these migrants under their fold, it may be dark ages for them. But forced labour may not be as bad as unpaid labour. Otherwise, why do these workers let themselves be bought by contractors despite the government of India providing 100 days work on demand under the National Rural employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS) in their respective villages?
And that too at Rs 100 a day? Workers like Madho can vouch for the fact that few NREGA workers have been able to get work on demand and fewer still are paid fully and on time. Contractors at least pay in advance even if it is less than what they deserve. Madho would, therefore, prefer to be bonded than unpaid labour any day.
business-standard - 17/10/2010
http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/sreelatha-menon-bonded-forcedunpaid-labour/411774/
10 comments:
This information is meaningful and magnificent which you have shared here about the business. I am impressed by the details that you have shared in this post and It reveals how nicely you understand this subject. I would like to thanks for sharing this article here. Earth Moving Equipment Rental for Construction
I will share it with my other friends as the information is really very useful. Keep sharing your excellent work. WIAPS Approved Contractor
It's very nice of you to share your knowledge through posts. I love to read stories about your experiences. They're very useful and interesting. I am excited to read the next posts. I'm so grateful for all that you've done. Keep plugging. Many viewers like me fancy your writing. Thank you for sharing precious information with us. Best overhead crane service service provider.
I agree with a lot of the points you made in this article. If you are looking for the Bridge Construction Calgary, then visit erkconstruction. I love your content, they are very nice and very useful to us and this text is worth everyone’s attention.
I generally check this kind of article and I found your article which is related to my interest.Helical Pile Contractors near Me Genuinely it is good and instructive information. Thankful to you for sharing an article like this.
I liked your work and the way in which you have shared this article here about overhead crane manufacturers in India. It is a beneficial and helpful article for us. Thanks for sharing an article like this.
A carpet is a textile floor covering typically consisting of an upper layer of pile attached to a backing. The pile is generally either made from wool, nylon, polypropylene, or polyester, while the backing is usually made from jute, latex, or polypropylene. Carpets can be made in any color or pattern, and are often used to cover floors in homes and businesses. Carpet Nashville
One of the most important things you can do is to make sure your desk is clean. Not only will this make the office cleaning lady's job a lot easier, but it will also make you look professional. office cleaning checklist austin
Post a Comment