BMC contract workers: down in the dumps

A court order that could make the jobs of Raghu, his father, and the 2,000-odd contract labourers employed with the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation8217;s BMC solid waste management less filthy and hazardous has slipped off the back of a teflon-coated BMC. Last fortnight, Justice S P Bharucha and Justice K Venkataswami of the Supreme Court dismissed within just two minutes of the first hearing a Special Leave Petition SLP filed by the BMC against a Bombay High Court order directing it to maintain a statusquo in the employment of casual labourers.

While the BMC has had few qualms in employing these labourers to augment the supposedly understaffed and overworked conservancy department, it has been very chary about providing them basic safety equipment, say members of the Kachra Vahatuk Shramik Sangh KVSS, the petitioner. Formed in February 1996, the union has demanded provision of basic safety equipment, protection against arbitrary removal from work, compensation for work-related injuries, and other work benefits enjoyed by the BMC employees like leave on national holidays and casual and sick leave.

The interim order, passed by Justice S N Variava and Justice A Y Sakhare on April 20 this year, had stated that while the BMC could hire new contractors, it would have to absorb the existing contract labourers in its regular service. The BMC was also directed to provide a good quantity8217; of raincoats with caps, gum boots and handgloves, basic protection which regular employees are provided.

In the last twomonths, two contract labourers have died while on duty. KVSS members say the union is flooded with reports of workers getting injured by nails, glass and metal pieces every day.

The equal pay for equal work8217; guidelines enshrined in the Contract Labour Regulation and Abolition Act, 1970, are observed more in the breach when it comes to contract labourers, said Milind Ranade, KVSS general secretary. 8220;Though the contract workers work thrice as hard as regular employees, they are paid only between Rs 1,200 and Rs 1,800 per month, not even half of the Rs 6,000 drawn by civic workers,8221; he added.

Cleanliness being one of the BMC8217;s mandatory civic duties for which an entire conservancy department is employed, it cannot hire workers on contract, said Ranade. Thus, the labourers are indirectly hired by contractors who have no licence and are not even registered under the Act.

8220;It was only when we filed the petition that the BMC applied for a licence to hire contract labour. This petition is still pendingbefore the labour commissioner. When the BMC itself does not have a licence, how can one even expect the contractors to have the proper licences?8221; he asked.

Chief Engineer, Solid Waste Management, M R Shah, told Express Newsline: 8220;It is impossible to comment on the issue before going through papers.8221; He added that Additional Municipal Commissioner Ratnakar Gaikwad had called for a meeting on Wednesday to discuss the issue.