Hamali workers demand scrapping of tender system

Warangal: Activists belonging to AP Beverages Corporation Hamali Workers Union (APBCHWU) took to the streets here on Saturday demanding scrapping of the tender system. They stated that the new tendering system for operating the beverage warehouses would hurt the interests of the hamali workers.

The APBCHWU workers affiliated to Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) workers have been staging relay hunger strikes at IMFL Depot at Gundlasingaram village on the outskirts of Warangal for the past few days. On Saturday, they staged a demonstration at the district collectorate in support of their demands. The protesting workers have demanded the government to operate the warehouses and provide job security to the workers, besides issuing ID cards, uniforms, provident fund (PF) benefit, life insurance and accident insurance, payment of bonus and others.

Addressing the protesting workers, the CITU city general secretary Ragula Ramesh took strong objection to calling of the tenders by the Corporation as hurting the workers, who were in service for the past 20 years in alcohol import and export at depots. The tendering system would render the present workers jobless.

Demanding recognition to the longstanding workers, he felt that the current official orders were making their services unstable. Even though the workers were protesting for the past two months the government has been acting indifferently, he said.

Several workers have become physically impaired as they met with accidents on duty. The government should regualarise the Hamalis services. Other demands include facilities like drinking water, toilet, cycle sheds, rest rooms, first aid boxes within the depot premises.

The welfare measures that were being taken for the workers of civil supplies warehouses should be applied to the hamalis serving at IMFL warehouses, Ramesh demanded.