Lakhs of Scheme Workers to Participate in Nationwide Strike on January 17, Despite Threats from Authorities

Demanding the implementation of 45th ILC recommendations, adequate financial allocation in the union budget 2018-19 for the centrally sponsored schemes and the rollback of privatization of government schemes in any form, more than 50 lakh scheme workers will be observing a nationwide strike and demonstrate at district headquarters across the country on January 17.

Meanwhile, various government authorities are pressurizing the scheme workers to not to participate in the strike in different departments.

In Telangana, the head of District Rural Development Officer- Sangareddy district issued a notice to field workers to not participate in the nationwide strike on Wednesday. According to the notice issued, accessed by Newsclick, the field workers and the members of the Association of the Telangana Grameena Upadhi Hami Field Assistants Association are told that disciplinary action will be taken against the workers who attend the proposed strike.

However, CITU members working under the Rural Development office told Newsclick that they will participate in the strike in order to claim their basic rights as workers.

A R Sindhu, general secretary of All India Federation of Anganwadi Workers and Helpers told Newsclick that the scheme workers are being threatened by authorities to not participate in the strike especially in the BJP ruled states. She said, “Anganwadi and ASHA workers in Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh have approached their union members in the respective states with complaints of receiving threats to the extent of losing their work if they participate in tomorrow’s strike.” Sindhu further said that the scheme workers are aware of the rights conferred to them and their union will take the complaints from workers to Indian Labour Conference (ILC).

In West Bengal, there are reports of the Trinamool Congress leaders asking the scheme workers in the state not to join the strike.

Ten trade unions, including INTUC, HMS, CITU, AIUTU, AIUTUC, TUCC, SEWA, AICCTU, LPF, and UTUC, are collectively organizing the strike which will be the first massive strike by workers in this year.

There are more than 50 Lakh Scheme workers working in government schemes - Anganwadi, mini-Anganwadis, Integrated Child Development Services Scheme, Mid-Day Meal Scheme, National Health Mission, National Rural Livelihoods Mission, National Child Labour Project, Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan and Small Savings Schemes who have demonstrated in numerous instances in order to claim their longstanding demands.

The main demand, implementation of the 45th Indian Labour conference recommendations include the recognition of scheme workers as workers (currently, the scheme workers are considered as only volunteers), minimum wages of not less than Rs.18,000 per month and a social security, including monthly pension, of not less than Rs.3,000 to all scheme workers. The unions have also demanded to give coverage of EPF and ESI to scheme workers.