Construction workers threaten protest outside Labour Minister’s residence

State president of the Karnataka State Construction Workers and Quarry Workers Association H.G. Umesh addressing the press in Kalaburagi on Monday.
| Photo Credit: ARUN KULKARNI

Members of the Karnataka State Construction Workers and Quarry Workers Association affiliated to the All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) have threatened to stage a protest outside the residence of Labor Minister Santosh Lad if the State government fails to address their long-pending demands by June.

Association State president H.G. Umesh, addressing a press conference in Kalaburagi on Monday, said that the association members met Mr. Lad during the winter session in Belagavi and submitted a memorandum with a charter of demands.

After hearing the demands, the Minister assured them of making all-out efforts to fulfill them at the earliest. But none of the demands have been taken into consideration, he added.

Mr. Umesh said that the association has also demanded a judicial inquiry into the misappropriation of funds in the distribution of food, immunity and safety kits to construction workers through the Karnataka Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare Board during the BJP rule.

He asked why the Siddaramaiah-led State government is hesitating ordering a judicial probe into the irregularities. He said that both the BJP and the ruling Congress-led governments stand united in their corruption sagas.

Demands

Listing out the demands of the association, Mr. Umesh urged the State government to increase the monthly pension of ₹3,000 to ₹5,000 for workers aged over 60 and to provide financial assistance for the education of children of construction workers.

He accused the Karnataka Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare Board of invalidating labour cards of thousands of construction workers, citing them as fraudulent due to which genuine workers have been deprived of their benefits.