Railway contract workers seek social security benefits

Hyderabad: The railway contract workers are demanding facilities like the State and Central governments benefits that include Employees State Insurance (ESI) cards and Provident Fund (PF) account number. Contract workers demanded the Divisional Commercial Manager of the South Central Railway (SCR) to extend statutory facilities to contract workers working in the railway stations and also not to privatise the stations.

They pointed out that as part of the Central Government's National Monetisation Pipeline Scheme, many sectors in railways are privatised and the government is outsourcing each section which has led to unemployment. Workers allege that they have no job security. They pointed out that there are more than 100 workers serving as housekeepers in 17 railway stations under the jurisdiction of the Secunderabad Division.

M Venkatesh, president, Hyderabad Railway Contract Workers Union, said, "Railway contract workers are struggling to get job security from many years. They are not given any Employees State Insurance (ESI) cards and Provident Fund (PF) account number through the amount towards PF is deducted and are receiving only half salary. They are also devoid of weekly off, holidays on account of any festivals. We also demand to stop the privatisation of railways immediately and protect the public sector which is the backbone of the country. On May 26, Co-ordination Committee meeting will be held where these issues will be discussed."

"Due to the privatisation we workers are been deprived for all the benefits that includes implementation of minimum wages for railway contract workers, job security, accident insurance, bank payment, salary slip, bonus, regularisation of contract workers on leave. Many representations were given to the concerned authorities but all fell on deaf ears," said a member.