Extortion: Mathadi unions come under cop scanner

Pune has 25,000-30,000 Mathadi workers who load and unload goods and work at project sites. As per the Maharashtra Mathadi,Hamal and other Manual Workers( Regulation of Employment and Welfare) Act,1969,all labourers need to be registered with welfare boards and have to be issued identity cards.

AOCC officers say they received complaints from a large number of industries and traders from Kalyani Nagar,Bhosari,Pimpri,Hinjewadi and Maldhakka of money being demanded by Mathadi workers’ unions led by politically connected local goons. Police officials say Mathadi workers themselves are not involved but goons have infiltrated their ranks and are calling the shots.

B G Kutwal,an inspector with the AOCC,said,”Many of these union leaders are criminals on record. We have now decided to make a list of all Mathadi workers’ unions in city limits. This will help us identify those who are not registered after we verify their documents.” Police said some of the goons have fixed a yearly amount various industries have to pay and if the demand is not met,they stall work,like loading and unloading,done by the manual workers.

Traders are reluctant to come forward with specific complaints out of fear,say the police.

A glassware trader who did not want to be named,said,”If we do not pay,workers attached to these unions damage our goods by mishandling them. We know Mathadi workers are definitely not at fault. All of them are poor migrants. The goons who control the unions must be put behind bars.”

Nitin Pawar of the Hamal Panchayat and Bandhkam Mazdoor Sangh,said,”Extortion by Mathadi unions is a known fact and police had never looked into it. Hamal Panchayat had registered complaints with Bundgarden police and Mundhwa police against such unions. Police never took action on those complaints.”

As per procedure,wages of Mathadi workers are paid through cheques to registered unions from where they collect cash. Kutwal added,“We have come to know many unions have donation books. They extort money in the name of welfare funds.”

Cops said almost nothing of the money collected this way goes to workers. “Many union leaders own luxury cars,” Pawar said and demanded strong police action.