More than 2000 contract pourakarmikas have struck work and gathered at Bannappa Park, demanding regularisation of their services. They have now decided to strike work until the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) agrees to all their demands.
“We are striking work so the government does what it promises. I have not got my wages for two months... there are many who have not been paid for months,” said Uma Ravi, a contract pourakarmika working in the Vidhana Soudha area.
Another pourakarmika said they have been fighting for their wages for so long. "First, it was just ₹400. It was hiked to ₹5,000 after many years. Now, though we have been promised good wages, it isn’t reaching us,” she lamented.
Clifton D’Rozario, advocate fighting for the contract pourakarmikas, asked, “Why should pourakarmikas work under contractors who have taken away all their rights?”
The main demands of the contract pourakarmikas are regularisation of their services and direct payment of salaries as per the Haryana model. The contract pourakarmikas were promised an increased wage of ₹14,400 plus risk allowance of ₹3,000 in August 2016, toilets, safety gear and regularisation of services by March 2017, none of which have materialised.