{"id":6286,"date":"2025-11-23T23:45:17","date_gmt":"2025-11-23T18:15:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/belgaumnow.com\/?p=6286"},"modified":"2025-11-23T23:54:45","modified_gmt":"2025-11-23T18:24:45","slug":"state-wide-protest-planned-nov-27-as-workers-rally-against-exploitative-contract-labour-system","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/belgaumnow.com\/?p=6286","title":{"rendered":"State-Wide Protest Planned Nov. 27 as Workers Rally Against “Exploitative” Contract Labour System"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Workers, Activists Unite Against \u201cExploitative\u201d Contract Labour System, Demand Dignity and Living Wages<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

Bengaluru, 2025<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 In a powerful collective stance, trade union leaders, labour rights activists, and academics convened in the city on Thursday, issuing a stark condemnation of India\u2019s pervasive contract labour system and demanding immediate government action to ensure dignified wages and working conditions for all.<\/p>\n

The round-table discussion, titled \u201cWhither the Constitutional Promise? The exploitative contract labour system and the illusion of dignified wages,\u201d was organized by the All India Central Council of Trade Unions (AICCTU)<\/strong>. It brought together a diverse coalition of voices to highlight what they describe as a systemic crisis undermining the economic and social fabric of the nation.<\/p>\n

A System of Exploitation and Discrimination<\/strong><\/h4>\n

The central theme of the conference was the unequivocal condemnation of the contract labour system, which speakers argued is a primary tool for denying workers their fundamental rights.<\/p>\n

Maitreyi Krishnan, State Secretary of AICCTU,<\/strong> set the tone by linking economic exploitation to deep-seated social hierarchies. \u201cThe contract labour system and the denial of minimum wages reinforce caste, class, and gender hierarchies by pushing Dalits, Adivasis, and women into the most insecure and underpaid work,\u201d she stated. \u201cThis must be seen as a fundamental denial of social and economic equality.\u201d<\/p>\n

This sentiment was echoed by representatives from major public sector undertakings. Chandrashekar of the HAL Contract Workers Association detailed the persistent struggles faced by workers in core operations, who, despite decades of service, are not recognized as permanent employees and face delayed wages and inadequate social security.<\/p>\n

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Coalition of Unions, Experts Demands End to Contract Labour System in Karnataka<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Gender Injustice and a Beacon of Hope<\/strong><\/h4>\n

The gendered dimension of this exploitation was a critical point of discussion. Dr. Prathiba R., President of GATWU, highlighted the stark disparity in the garment industry. \u201cWhile minimum wages in many industries are being increased, garment workers\u2019 wages remain unchanged. This is nothing but gender discrimination,\u201d she asserted, pointing to a broader pattern of devaluing labour traditionally performed by women, such as that of ASHA, Anganwadi, and domestic workers.<\/p>\n

Amid the condemnations, a powerful story of successful resistance offered a roadmap for hope. Smt. Maniyamma of the BBMP Pourakarmikara Sangha recounted the long struggle of pourakarmikas, predominantly Dalit women, who were once trapped in the same exploitative system.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe historic struggle of pourakarmikas forced the State to finally throw out the contract system and bring us under direct payment,\u201d she declared. This shift, followed by the regularization of their jobs, ensured minimum wages, social security, and a significant reduction in corruption. \u201cAll workers must take inspiration from this struggle and fight for dignified working conditions,\u201d she urged.<\/p>\n

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Contract Labour Perpetuates Inequality, Harms Children, Concludes Karnataka Round-Table<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Media Updates: +91-93531 21474 [WhatsApp] |\u00a0indianowme@gmail.com<\/strong><\/p>\n

Broader Societal Consequences<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Experts at the conference emphasized that the impact of this system extends far beyond the individual worker, crippling families and perpetuating inequality across generations.<\/p>\n

Dr. Niranjanaradhya, a Child Rights Expert, connected precarious work to the future of children. \u201cWhen families are trapped in low wages, irregular payments, and insecure jobs, they cannot afford even basic education for their children,\u201d he explained. \u201cThis must be recognized as an issue that affects the entire family, children, and society itself, not just the worker.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dr. Sylvia Karpagam, a Public Health Expert, outlined the dire health consequences. She stressed that inadequate income directly undermines overall well-being, pushing entire communities into cycles of poor health and malnutrition.<\/p>\n

Echoing the call for a collective societal response, Prof. Babu Matthew emphasized the urgent need to recognize the grave impact of the exploitative employment structure, which affects the broader social fabric. Challenging this system, he noted, is crucial to ensuring dignity, fairness, and justice.<\/p>\n

A Call to Action<\/strong><\/h4>\n

The conference culminated in a firm resolution to intensify the collective fight against the contract labour system. In a significant announcement, the AICCTU revealed plans for a state-wide protest on November 27, 2025.<\/p>\n

The protests will formally call upon the Government to take three concrete steps: the abolition of the contract labour system, the regularization of all workers, and the urgent notification of a revised minimum wage of \u20b942,000.<\/p>\n

The gathering, which also included labour rights expert Mohan Mani and several academics, served as a potent rallying cry, signaling a renewed and unified movement for workers’ rights in Karnataka.<\/p>\n

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Key Quotes<\/span><\/h2>\n
\n
\n

On Systemic Exploitation & Social Justice<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\n

\u201cThe contract labour system and the denial of minimum wages reinforce caste, class, and gender hierarchies by pushing Dalits, Adivasis, and women into the most insecure and underpaid work. This must be seen as a fundamental denial of social and economic equality.\u201d<\/strong>
\n\u2014\u00a0Maitreyi Krishnan<\/strong>, State Secretary, AICCTU
\nWhy it’s impactful:<\/strong>\u00a0This quote powerfully connects economic policy with deep-seated social injustice, framing the issue not just as a labour dispute but as a fundamental battle for equality.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

On Gender Discrimination<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\n

\u201cWhile minimum wages in many industries are being increased, garment workers\u2019 wages remain unchanged. This is nothing but gender discrimination.\u201d<\/strong>
\n\u2014\u00a0Dr. Prathiba R.<\/strong>, President, GATWU
\nWhy it’s impactful:<\/strong>\u00a0It is a clear, direct, and unambiguous accusation of systemic sexism, naming the problem that is often implicit in the devaluation of work performed predominantly by women.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

On Hope & Successful Resistance<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\n

\u201cThe historic struggle of pourakarmikas forced the State to finally throw out the contract system and bring us under direct payment… All workers must take inspiration from this struggle and fight for dignified working conditions.\u201d<\/strong>
\n\u2014\u00a0Smt. Maniyamma<\/strong>, BBMP Pourakarmikara Sangha
\nWhy it’s impactful:<\/strong>\u00a0This quote provides a tangible, real-world example of victory. It moves beyond describing the problem to offering a proven strategy and a powerful message of hope and collective action.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

On the Inter-Generational Impact<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\n

\u201cThis must be recognized as an issue that affects the entire family, children, and society itself, not just the worker.\u201d<\/strong>
\n\u2014\u00a0Dr. Niranjanaradhya<\/strong>, Child Rights Expert
\nWhy it’s impactful:<\/strong>\u00a0It dramatically expands the scope of the issue, arguing that the consequences of exploitative labour practices cripple the future of the next generation and harm society as a whole.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

On the Human Cost<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\n

\u201cInadequate income doesn\u2019t just affect livelihoods\u2014it undermines overall well-being and pushes communities into cycles of poor health and malnutrition.\u201d<\/strong>
\n\u2014\u00a0Dr. Sylvia Karpagam<\/strong>, Public Health Expert
\nWhy it’s impactful:<\/strong> This quote translates abstract economic terms like “low wages” into a stark, visceral reality of human suffering, making the issue urgent and relatable to everyone.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Workers, Activists Unite Against \u201cExploitative\u201d Contract Labour System, Demand Dignity and Living Wages Bengaluru, 2025\u00a0\u2013 In a powerful collective stance, trade union leaders, labour rights activists, and academics convened in the city on Thursday, issuing a stark condemnation of India\u2019s pervasive contract labour system and demanding immediate government action to ensure dignified wages and working […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":6288,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[198],"tags":[980],"class_list":["post-6286","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-bengaluru","tag-aicctu"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/belgaumnow.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6286","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/belgaumnow.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/belgaumnow.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/belgaumnow.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/belgaumnow.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=6286"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/belgaumnow.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6286\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6290,"href":"https:\/\/belgaumnow.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6286\/revisions\/6290"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/belgaumnow.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/6288"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/belgaumnow.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=6286"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/belgaumnow.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=6286"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/belgaumnow.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=6286"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}