60 bonded labour rescued

MEDAK: Human and civil rights activists have rescued a group of 60 alleged bonded labour from a brick kiln in Medak district. The workers including women and children were shifted to temporary shelter at Old Boys Hostel in Yeldurthi here under police protection. 

According to Tathagata Sengupta of Solidarity Committee for Brickkiln Workers' Union, the rescue efforts were initiated jointly by Brickkiln Workers' Union of Ranga Reddy district and Solidarity Committee for Brick-kiln Workers of Andhra Pradesh. Sengupta alleged that about 60 people were illegally engaged as bonded labour at a brick kiln near Koppulapally village of Yeldurthi mandal. He alleged that the workers were regularly beaten up by the management. 

A fact-finding team visited the kiln on January 17. The team comprised human rights and civil liberties activists . The workers told the team about regular use of violence on them. They were brought to Koppulapally from Nuapada, Bargar, and Balangir in Odisha in October after payment of Rs 10,000 to 15,000 per worker. 

"Once they reached the area, some of them were employed for harvesting crops on the owner's fields, and later in preparing the kiln. They are not supposed to do either of the works. Now they are employed in the brick-making work. Even the sick were not spared as a pregnant woman was made to work. Those who protested against such practices are attacked ," said Sengupta. He said the worst incidence of crude violence occurred five days ago when Muni Ram, one of the workers, was brutally beaten up and taken away by the management. The whereabouts of Muni Ram are not known. A number of children in the age group of 6 to 14 are also employed at the kiln.

Source:http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/hyderabad/60-bonded-labour-rescued/articleshow/29085163.cms

Over 5 lakh Indian workers to benefit from Saudi labour law

CHENNAI: More than five lakh Indian workers, employed as drivers, house boys, cleaners, house managers in Saudi Arabia, will soon be governed by a new Saudi labour law and will enjoy the privileges and rights granted under the local regulations.

The recent signing of a labour agreement between minister for overseas Indian affairs Vayalar Ravi and Saudi labour minister Adel Fakieh will streamline the labour market and keep touts and unscrupulous travel agents, who cheat innocent labourers, at bay.
 Sibi George, deputy chief of mission at the Indian embassy in Riyadh, told TOI on Friday that presently the mission had given food and accommodation to 130 Indian nationals who have legal cases against them and want to fly back to India. 

The diplomat said around 1.4 million Indians had corrected their residency and legal status and 1,41,000 left Saudi Arabia since April, taking advantage of the concessions.

Source: http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2014-01-10/india/46065857_1_saudi-labour-law-adel-fakieh-sibi-george

Woes of migrant labour

The widespread exploitation of migrant labourers in Qatar threatens to undermine whatever prestige the country may have earned by winning the right to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup. In September this year, the Guardian had shone light on the deplorable treatment of contract labourers — mostly from the Indian subcontinent — engaged in World Cup-related construction projects. Since then, Amnesty International has meticulously documented serial violations of Qatar’s labour laws by private contractors. Migrant workers from Nepal, India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka are at the mercy of their Qatari employers, thanks to the harsh systems in place to check illegal immigration. Qatar’s “sponsorship” law designates private contractors as the custodians of their employees’ travel documents until they are issued a valid residence permit. Many migrant labourers are yet to receive their passports back. What is more, Qatari law requires the “sponsor” to issue supporting documents for an “exit visa”. Without workers’ unions to represent their case, access to justice for foreign labourers remains elusive. Amnesty’s report suggested many of them were yet to receive their salaries. While the Qatar 2022 Supreme Committee, the nodal agency for World Cup affairs, has acknowledged these reports, the country needs to ensure that its economic growth does not ride on the inhuman treatment of migrants.

New Delhi would do well to express its concerns to Qatari officials about the plight of Indian labourers. For the most part, India has been restrained in its diplomatic overtures on labour-related issues in West Asia; this is not surprising since remittances from migrant labourers are the main source of income for hundreds of thousands of families back home. That New Delhi and Riyadh could coordinate their actions and successfully regularise the stay of most Indian labourers in Saudi Arabia ahead of the ‘Nitaqat’ deadline, however, suggests that such issues are eminently resolvable. India should consider its migrant workforce in West Asia as an asset rather than as a vulnerable constituency. Countries like Qatar and Saudi Arabia have sought to raise their profile by positioning themselves as global commercial hubs. In pursuit of this aim, they have invested considerably in infrastructure projects. Hosting the 2022 FIFA World Cup figures prominently in Qatar’s efforts to boost its marketability. Needless to say, Indian labour is very much in demand for the successful completion of these projects. The reports from the Guardian and Amnesty International serve as a reminder to West Asia that it cannot take migrant labour for granted. South Asian countries must insist their citizens are granted their rights and benefits as per international obligations.

Source: http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/editorial/woes-of-migrant-labour/article5444758.ece

I Want To Know What Are My Legal Rights

I am an Indian worker and have been working as a waiter in a restaurant for the last 4 years (since February 2009). My company does not follow the labour law, so there is no notice period, no service, no indemnity, no paid leave, no weekly off … practically nothing. I am getting only my salary without any other benefits. I was hired directly from India on a commercial visit visa and then within three months I was transferred to a company visa. I am not happy with my current job.

So I have been trying to find a better job in another company. But the problem is that I can’t get a release from my company because they do not release their employees, and also I don’t know about my contract as our company did not give us a copy. I want to know what are my legal rights and how can I get a release from my company without any trouble as also they are said to have a very big wasta in the Kuwaiti government.

Name withheld 

Answer: The company can’t stop you from resigning because you have already spent more than the required three years for such a transfer if you are hired from abroad. That is the law. If the company refuses to release you, file a case immediately with the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labour, through the Labour Office in your area. If you feel that your sponsor is using wasta (influence) to obstruct the proceedings, you can also file a case in court against your firm. While filing the case with the Labour Office, don’t forget to claim all your rights—money for all the days off, weekends, overtime etc for which you were not paid.

Source: http://www.arabtimesonline.com/NewsDetails/tabid/96/smid/414/ArticleID/201411/reftab/36/t/-I-want-to-know-what-are-my-legal-rights-/Default.aspx

Raids, rallies mark Child Rights week

VISAKHAPATNAM: City-based NGOs and government departments have stepped up activities like raids and rallies to curb child labour in the run up to Children's Day and Child Rights Week, which will be celebrated from November 14-21.
After rescuing over 100 child labourers in the last two months, the woman and child welfare department along with police, labour department and NGO Childline, is planning to conduct raids in city and outskirts this month, while NGO Nature and Bala Vikas Foundation have been busy organising various programmes, workshops and rallies propagating child rights.

NGO Nature, in their weeklong campaign for child rights in all mandal headquarters between November 14-20, is propagating Child Protection Act, distributing education material and organising 1,200 village level rallies in collaboration with organisations such as Unicef, Save the Children, AP chapter of RTE Forum, and others. "Three workshops on 'Stop violence against children', child rights violation and dissemination of information on child rights are in the offing during the week," stated S Balaraju, director, Nature NGO.

Meanwhile, to commemorate the 125th birth anniversary of Moulana Abul Kalam Azad,, who was the first education minster of free India,National Education Day was observed at Child Labour School run by Bala Vikas Foundation in the city on Monday. P Satya Prasad, district sainik welfare officer was the chief guest at the programme, where Narava Prakasa Rao, founder and honorary secretary of BVF, spoke to the children about Maulana Azad and asked them to study his biography. Books and study material were distributed among the children.

Source: http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-11-12/visakhapatnam/43978914_1_child-rights-child-labour-school-labour-department

Panel suggests flexible labour laws in its report to Cab Sec

New Delhi: A government panel has suggested flexible labour laws and simplified taxation system, among other things, to improve manufacturing in small units.

The inter-ministerial committee (IMC), headed by Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Secretary Madhav Lal, has submitted its report to Cabinet Secretary Ajit Kumar Seth.

The panel was set up to look into issues faced by MSME units and suggest ways to boost manufacturing in the sector.

Besides flexible labour laws, the committee also suggested ensuring easy flow of credit to the sector, simplified taxation system, improved infrastructure and effective marketing techniques for improving manufacturing activities in the sector, a senior official said.

The MSME sector has been witnessing a slow growth phase with its share of exports falling from 40 percent to 36 percent in the last two years, official said.

Also, exiting unviable units is a cumbersome procedure for entrepreneurs as the existing insolvency laws do not support them.

The MSME Ministry, however, expects that the trend would change if necessary steps are initiated.
The share of MSMEs is targeted to increase up to 50 percent in the country's total exports during the 12th Plan (2012-17).

The MSME sector contributes over 8 percent to India's GDP and accounts for 45 percent of manufacturing sector. There are about 3.6 crore such MSMEs, employing over 8 crore people.

The country's manufacturing sector, which constitutes over 75 percent of the index of industrial production (IIP), grew meagre by 0.6 percent in September as against a decline of 1.6 percent a year ago.

"The IMC is looking at the entire issue from the perspective of the life cycle of MSMEs like what kind of assistance they require at the stage of the start-up and what is that they require for doing business or expanding it," the official said.

The panel has also suggested simplification of rules for entry of small units along with creating an efficient framework for exit of sick units.

IMC members, besides Lal, are Textiles Secretary Zohra Chatterji, Secretary in the Ministry of Labour M Sarangi and Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) Secretary Saurabh Chandra. 

Source:http://zeenews.india.com/business/news/economy/panel-suggests-flexible-labour-laws-in-its-report-to-cab-sec_88970.html

India should ratify a domestic workers' treaty

MUMBAI: A global treaty for the protection of domestic workers came into effect on September 5, offering solace to a category of workers who have till now remained invisible under labour laws in most countries. The Domestic Workers Convention 2011 adopted by the International Labour Organization (ILO) sets minimum standards for domestic workers who undertake a slew of activities including cooking, cleaning, ironing clothes, caring for children, elderly or sick members in private households.

It effectively entitles domestic workers to certain basic rights such as a weekly-off for at least 24 hours, a minimum wage on par with a country's laws as well as a minimum age bar before entry into the profession.

India has in recent times taken baby steps in acknowledging domestic help as 'workers', but is yet to ratify the treaty or adopt holistic protection to this workforce. In 2012, India extended the benefits of a government health insurance scheme to domestic workers, even as a bill pending in the Rajya Sabha seeks to protect them against sexual harassment.

"Domestic workers are among the most abused and exploited workers in the world," said Gauri van Gulik, women's rights advocate at Human Rights Watch in a press note, adding that the coming into effect of the Domestic Workers Convention offers millions of women and girls a chance for safer working conditions and better lives.

The ILO estimates that there are currently there are at least 53 million domestic workers worldwide, not including child domestic workers, but only eight countries have ratified the convention till date. As the world's largest democracy, India should lead the way in paving the way for change.

http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-09-07/india/41853644_1_domestic-workers-human-rights-watch-global-treaty

Source: Times of India

Parliament passes bill to prohibit employment of manual scavengers

A bill seeking to prohibit employment of individuals as manual scavengers by prescribing stringent punishment, including imprisonment up to five years, to those employing such labour was passed by Parliament on Saturday.

The bill has provisions for providing for rehabilitation of manual scavengers and their family members as well.

It has a wider scope for higher penalties than the 1993 Act. Offences under the Bill shall be cognisable and non-bailable and may be tried summarily. The penalty could be up to five years imprisonment.

The bill, which had got a strong push from Congress President Sonia Gandhi and seeks to wipe out this "social stigma" by arranging for alternative jobs and providing other provisions to those in such work and their families got the unanimous approval of Rajya Sabha today.

Lok Sabha had passed the bill on Friday.

Moving the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Bill, 2013 in the Rajya Sabha, Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment Kumari Selja said the new bill had to be brought in as the earlier Act did not prove very effective.

Under the new law, each occupier of insanitary latrines shall be responsible for converting or demolishing the latrine at his own cost. If he fails to do so, the local authority shall convert the latrine and recover the cost from him.

Each local authority, cantonment board and railway authority is responsible for surveying insanitary latrines within its jurisdiction. They shall also construct a number of sanitary community latrines.

"Such latrines, where manual scavenging happens, will have to be demolished, otherwise somebody will be engaged to do it," Selja said, adding government will chip in with financial help.

Members from Left parties including D Raja (CPI) moved a number of amendments to the bill, which were negated and the bill was passed unanimously.

The minister said the Bill aims to provide for prohibition of employment as manual scavengers, rehabilitation of those involved in this work and their families.

"The bill has penal provisions for those, who engage the manual scavengers," she said, adding elimination of dry latrines and insanitary latrines are on high priority for the government.

Despite prohibition of manual scavenging, the practice is still prevalent. These evils are inconsistent with the right to live with dignity, she said.

"This dehumanising practice is inconsistent with the right to live with dignity," Selja said, adding a need was felt for a stringent law.

"We want to remove the stigma and blot on the society," she said, calling for a "change of mindset" to end the menace.

Selja also expressed the hope that a strong law would also help erase the practice from the society.

Referring to the continuance of this practice, she said all states were in "denial mode" and had earlier stated that this practice did not exist in their areas.

"When we are not ready even to accept that this practice exists, how can we remove this," Selja posed.

When Selja credited the Congress President for the passage of the bill, a BJP member remarked that they fail to understand that when Manmohan Singh is the Prime Minister of the country, how everything is being done by Sonia Gandhi.

D Raja (CPI) moved a large number of amendments prompting Deputy Chairman P J Kurien to comment, "Raja is not at all kind even to me. Raja is moving every amendment."

Kurien's comments came as the amendments moved by Raja took a lot of time when House was preparing to wind up.

Participating in the discussion, Thaawar Chand Gehlot (BJP) asked the government to provide health insurance to manual scavengers and ensure alternative jobs.

T N Seema (CPI-M) said 53 per cent of the country's population does not have toilets and this bill does not give financial support to states to implement the provisions of the bill.

Vasanthi Stanley (DMK) recalled the incidents like Delhi rape case to highlight the "untold miseries" of women and said that by engaging women in manual scavenging, we are "violating their self respect".

Expressing disgust over the practice, Raja said "we should render a national apology" for allowing this practice to continue. He demanded that the government should earmark a financial provision of Rs.1 lakh for each scavenger andRs.5 lakh for his family's rehabilitation.

"Prime Minister should announce a special package to end the practice," he said.

Ram Vilas Paswan (LJP) demanded proper training for manual scavengers for alternative work and said the sanitation staff working in Parliament, who are part-time workers, should be made permanent.

Janaradan Waghmare (NCP) described manual scavenging as a "blot on society".

Ravishankar Prasad (BJP) said government should consider pension for old manual scavengers and demanded steps to end the practice of open defecation in states like Bihar and UP.

D Bandopadhyaye (TMC), D P Singh Baghel (BSP), Shashi Bhushan Behera (BJD) also spoke.

Source: India Today

Read more at: http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/manual-scavengers-bill-parliament/1/308799.html