AICCTU has demanded a public apology from Greater Bengaluru Development Minister Comrade Krishna Byre Gowda for his insulting treatment of pourakarmikas (sanitation workers) during a “surprise inspection” across Bengaluru on September 5. The union strongly condemned the minister's conduct towards sanitation workers who keep the city's civic life functioning despite facing insecure employment and difficult working conditions.
During the inspection, a group of pourakarmikas approached the minister demanding regularisation of their employment. Instead of addressing their demand, the minister arrogantly questioned whether workers who did not report for duty should be made permanent, citing a figure of 30 per cent absenteeism. When one of the workers attempted to respond, the minister reportedly cut her off with the words "summaniri" (be quiet).
AICCTU said the manner in which the minister addressed the workers was highly objectionable and reflected an arrogance of power towards workers whose labour is indispensable to the city's cleanliness and public health. A large section of pourakarmikas are Dalit women who continue to face caste discrimination, social stigma and humiliating treatment in their workplaces.
Rather than making workers scapegoats for the problems of Bengaluru's sanitation system, the government must address staff shortages, vacant posts, the contract labour and outsourcing system, excessive work pressure, delays in wage payments, inadequate safety equipment and its own administrative failures, AICCTU said.
The union demanded weekly days off, statutory leave, timely payment of wages, proper safety equipment, social security and job security for sanitation workers. It also called for an end to exploitation under the contract and outsourcing system, regularisation of all workers and a direct payment system.
AICCTU stressed that efficiency in urban administration cannot mean humiliating or intimidating workers. A scientifically planned and humane civic administration must ensure the rights, dignity and security of the workers whose labour makes the functioning of Bengaluru possible.
AICCTU demanded that Minister Krishna Byre Gowda immediately clarify his conduct and issue a public apology to the sanitation workers. It also called upon the government to abandon any approach that sacrifices workers' dignity in the name of urban development.
