Unions seek more rights for migrant workers

Abhish K Bose Delhi  

An atmosphere of protest lingered at a press conference in New Delhi that highlighted the lackadaisical attitude of the government in dealing fairly with the demands of migrant workers'. The conference saw participation from several trade unions in Delhi. "The migrant workers are dealt as second class citizens," says Dhivendra Sharma of All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC). The unions were protesting against the non inclusion of migrant workers perspective in Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD). The participants aired their apprehension on the reluctance of the government to come out with a concrete policy on the migrant workers. 

Amjad Hassan of Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC) said, "Two years ago the Overseas Ministry announced a policy for the migrant workers, but it has yet not been implemented. The remittance from the migrant workers is 4.2 per cent of our total GDP, but their issues are constantly being ignored." 

The PBD will be held in Delhi from January 7 to January 10 of this year. It is organised by the ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs in partnership with the Delhi government and the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII). "It is intended to give a common platform to people of Indian origin settled overseas. But it excludes from its purview the issues of bulk of migrant workers settled abroad," says Akhilesh Bharathi of Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh.

 The trade union leaders also stressed that PBD must involve trade unions and civil society organisations and should not be restricted to business only. Bharathi says that the government needs to adopt a migration policy that has a Right-based framework and ensures protection of those working outside India as well as those who migrate to India." 

The trade union leaders called upon the government to ratify and implement the International legal instruments particularly ILO conventions 97 and 143, and the 1990 UN convention on the protection of the rights of all migrant workers and members of their families. Most employers keep the passports of these workers making it extremely difficult for them to return home even if they voluntarily choose to do so. J John of the Centre for Education and Communication says, "The creation of work agreements with governments of destination countries based on these and other human rights standards should be ensured. The plight of these workers is very pathetic. Several employers deceive these workers by offering them high wages while they are paid just a paltry sum when they reach their destinations. Strong punitive measures should be enforced to stop exploitation."