The Workers Army

Categorised as unorganised labourers,the community in the city today,after almost three decades of struggle,looks like a reflection of more aware,empowered and a stronger lot. Called the Pune Shahar Molkarin Sanghatana the group got together and unionised themselves in 1980 as a registered organisation that looks after their service conditions,their pay packets,and even their post-employment status . But even with around 5,000 domestic workers,the association,still fights a long battle for it’s rights.

Be it the Domestic Worker’s Bill,1959 or the Maharashtra Government Resolution 2000 or the still recent Domestic Worker’s Welfare Board Bill,2008,these are all examples of initiatives that have not been transferred from the paper into the lives of these workers. “It’s all informal,” says Megha Thatte,secretary of the association who has been a part of it since its inception. “Where are the rights driven reforms? The government passed this welfare board bill which directs them to provide several financial and welfare benefits,but the board has no funding. The rights are not yet declared,the miniumum wage is not agreed upon.” Under the bill,the government constituted district-wise welfare boards with equal representation from the government,non-governmental organisations,workers and employers,but it has not formalised the exact benefits yet,save implementation. “We want legal status for domestic workers. They should be registered with the board and get identity cards. The workers should be entitled to PF,gratuity,pension,insurance cover and weekly offs. They should also get offs on festivals and national holidays. Their children should get scholarships for education. Minimum wages should also be fixed,” says a visibly agitated Thatte.

Work still goes on at the organisation. On its own,the organisation has got a rate card,minimum wage fixed and helps the worker at any level of employment. The rate cards are revised every two years and care is taken to keep the members in dialogue with the organisation. “In smaller places,I think help is needed more importantly. The women need a support system to voice their opinion,” says Thatte. The group in fact has branches all over the state and they are conducting a rally on March 16 in Mumbai,to reaffirm their demands. Another offshoot of the whole sitatuation is the violence that they face inside their own homes and outside. “We see around 100-120 cases of domestic violence every day,” says Sandeep More,who volunteers for the organisation.