Jeeva Jyothi
works to
restore the
right to
work to each
person. No
one should
be denied
the
opportunity
to earn a
decent
living
through his
or her own
efforts.
Though the
Constitution
of India
does not
guarantee
the right to
work as a
fundamental
right,
through our
actions,
advocacy and
lobbying, we
want to
ensure that
the workers
are given
their due
right to
work, are
given at
least the
minimum
wages
stipulated
by the
government,
and that
they
eventually
receive the
true
needs-based
minimum
wage.
Bonded
Labour
Our
reach among
children and
women in
Thiruvallur
district
uncovered
the
existence of
unorganized
workers in
large
numbers. In
the area
called Red
Hills,
numerous
rice mills
and brick
kilns employ
bonded
(forced)
labourers.
For a paltry
sum borrowed
by the
worker or
his
ancestor, he
is forced to
work under
the same
owner until
the debt is
paid back.
Very often,
even after
some years,
the
principal
amount
remains the
same as the
recovered
amount is
always shown
as ‘interest
amount’. The
majority of
the workers
are
illiterate
hence what
the owner
says becomes
the final
word.
Jeeva Jyothi
discovered
that the
workers and
all the
members of
their
families
toiled for
more than 16
to 20 hours
a day under
inhuman
working
conditions.
They were
confined
within the
work
premises in
thatched
huts with
the barest
of
amenities.
They were
not allowed
to go out
even for
free medical
treatment in
the
government
health
facilities.
Children too
worked along
with their
parents and
not enrolled
in schools.
Most of the
workers in
the brick
kilns were
seasonal
workers; in
the
off-season,
they
migrated to
other places
in search of
alternate
employment.
To combat
this
problem, we
set out to
build good
rapport with
the owners
of the rice
mills and
brick kilns.
Gradually,
they were
sensitized
on the
existing
legal
provisions
and the need
to educate
the children
and to
provide
health
facilities
to the
workers and
their
families.
The children
were
enrolled in
Jeeva
Jyothi’s
non-formal
education
classes.
Eventually,
they were
enrolled in
government
schools in
the area.
The women
were
sensitized
on health
and hygiene.
Health camps
were
conducted
and
referrals
made. Now,
the workers
are allowed
to go out
for medical
treatment
and other
tasks. Day
Care Centres
(Balwadis)
run by us
cater to the
children in
the 0-6 age
group.
Moreover,
the workers
were
enrolled in
the Tamil
Nadu
Government
Unorganized
Workers’
Insurance
Scheme,
which
provides for
monetary
assistance
for
education,
childbirth,
abortion,
marriage and
death. Under
this scheme,
workers (or
their
families)
can receive
compensation
for minor
injuries and
fatal
accidents,
meaning that
a workplace
accident no
longer
leaves a
family with
lack of
economic
support.
Our
intervention
has brought
about
drastic
changes in
the living
and working
conditions
of these
unorganized
workers. The
Owners’
Associations
are
extending
their
whole-hearted
cooperation
to the
activities
and
projects.
Just as
importantly,
however, our
work with
the bonded
laborers
gave us new
insights
into the
problems of
the
unorganized
workers.
They did not
have any
statutory
provision to
protect
their
causes.
Their
immediate
need was
‘right to
work’ which
will
guarantee a
regular
employment
and a decent
wage to
support
their
families.
Jeeva Jyothi
is of the
firm
conviction
that if the
workers are
given a
decent wage,
they will
not be
forced to
send their
children to
work to earn
additional
income. The
women of the
family could
afford to
have better
health and a
decent
living. In
our quest to
build a just
society, we
decided to
extend our
reach to
this target
group of
‘unorganized
workers’
also.
We mobilize
the
unorganized
workers and
encourage
them to
organize
themselves
to fight for
their rights
and to
better their
living and
working
conditions.
Jeeva Jyothi
works as a
‘catalyst’
by giving
them the
backing,
infrastructural
facilities,
training,
human
resources
and links
with other
groups and
organizations
concerned
with the
unorganized.
The staff of
Jeeva Jyothi
also
undergoes
training in
‘Trade
Unions’,
‘Labour
legislations’
and other
legal
issues.
Thus was
born ‘Tamil
Nadu Manual
Workers’
Union’, a
trade union
exclusively
for the
unorganized
workers run
by and for
the
unorganized
workers
themselves.
Efforts are
under way to
have links
with similar
organizations
in the
adjacent
districts
and to form
a network.
Rehabilitation
Survey
As the
result of
consultations
with owners,
we conducted
a
rehabilitation
survey in
243 rice
mills
totalling
around 1400
families, to
submit a
concrete
report on
the present
conditions
of the
forced
labours to
the
International
Labour
Organization
and the
district
administration.
Based on
this survey
we compiled
a book on
forced
labour
conditions. |
