The Gujarat Congress has alleged that the Covid-19 crisis and the BJP Government’s ham-fisted handling of the situation has worsened the life of informal sector workers.
Addressing the Domestic and Construction Workers Union on Tuesday, Congress leader and chairman of All India Unorganized Workers Congress Ashok Punjabi said the pandemic and BJP government had adversely affected the informal sector workers.
“We need a Gujarat Domestic Workers Welfare Board,” he added.
Former Gujarat Congress president Arjun Modhwadia, Gujarat Congress chief spokesperson Manish Doshi, Gujarat Intuc president Naishadh Desai, former MLA Jitubhai Patel and Vipul Pandya, General Secretay, Bandhkam Mazdoor Sangathan, also addressed the meeting.
Vipul Pandya said the construction workers were constantly facing struggles in securing minimum wages, absence of a suitable physical environment, lack of safety equipment, health and occupational risks. “They build homes and buildings, but they are homeless”, he stressed.
Jitubhai Patel, who is also an orthopaedic surgeon, highlighted that construction workers suffer from joint pain, respiratory and neurological issues. Also, the majority of the workers are under the age of forty, he added.
Congress leaders repeatedly mentioned the issues faced by domestic labourers. They highlighted that the domestic workers have long working hours, they are underpaid and pushed into social insecurities.
The party would be holding a joint meeting of all trade unions on March 5.
