Bokaro: Contract workers at the Bokaro Steel Plant voiced their concerns over what they described as the alienating and exploitative behavior of the plant’s management during a meeting held at the Sudarshan Canteen of the Coke-Oven and Coke Chemicals Department on Saturday. The meeting, organized by the Hind Mazdoor Sabha (KIMS), aimed to devise an aggressive strategy to address the pressing issues faced by the plant’s contract workforce.
Rajendra Singh, General Secretary of the Union and member of the National Joint Committee of Steel (NJCS), criticized the management for its attitude toward the workers. He claimed that certain officers at the plant viewed it as their duty to deny contract workers their rightful entitlements. Singh highlighted promises made during previous negotiations, including a pledge to amend rules that would ensure workers would not be penalized for medical checkups. However, he stated that these promises had not been fulfilled.
Singh further detailed the hardships faced by contract workers, emphasizing that while they are directly involved in production, they are paid only the minimum wage for building construction, as per Jharkhand state government rules. He noted that there is no separate minimum wage specified for factory work in the state’s legislation, which he argued was being exploited to cheat workers under the guise of minimum wage laws. The workers are also denied basic benefits such as night shift allowances, gratuity, and other compensations, Singh said.
“We demand maximum wage, not the minimum wage,” Singh declared, calling for the management to correct the discrepancies. He also criticized the practice of deducting ESIC (Employee State Insurance Corporation) contributions from workers while failing to link the AWA (Additional Welfare Allowance) to the minimum wage.
The issue of biometric attendance was also raised during the meeting. Singh insisted that contract workers should receive the same facilities and treatment as officers, including biometric attendance systems, before they would accept such measures. Additionally, the union demanded better healthcare provisions for skilled workers who fall outside the ESIC limits, urging the management to provide health insurance coverage of at least Rs. 5 lakhs or better treatment options for their dependents.
In conclusion, Singh warned the plant management that they must address the workers’ demands seriously and take immediate and concrete steps to resolve the issues. He emphasized that if the management fails to act, the workers are prepared to escalate their efforts through a labor movement.
The meeting was also addressed by other union leaders, including Shashi Bhushan Singh, Chandra Prakash, Jumman Khan, Abhay Sharma, Amit Yadav, Anand Kumar, Hareram Singh, and Tuntun Singh.
