Two days workshop on development leadership skills in mine labors
A Report
Date of workshop 11-12 June 2008
Place of workshop Youth Hostel Ratanada Jodhpur Rajasthan
Organized by
Supported by
Child Rights & Your New Delhi India
Objectives of workshop
- To development of leadership skills in the mine workers
- To generate awareness among mine workers about the legal provisions for mine workers
- Formation of a campaign core team and initiation of membership campaign
A two days workshop started in Youth Hostel Ratanada jodhpur on 11 June 2008 on the development of leadership skills in the mine workers so that they could put forward their demands for the basic rights of mine workers as given to them in the constitution of the country.
If we look behind and analyze the conditions of mine workers, it is just sympathetic. A mine workers work in a sand stone mine as a bondage labor, not only this, by taking advance from mine owner (Peshagi), he bound his son to work for the same mine owner. The average life of a sand stone mine worker is just 35-40 years.
The local administration, who is responsible for the implementation of the laws, is totally inactive and corrupted. No one ever goes to workplace to find out the implementation of laws in these areas.
This workshop was organized by the Jai Bhim Vikas Shikshan Sansthan, Mine Labor Rights Campaign and supported by the child rights & you New Delhi
After the welcome and introduction of the participants, convener of the Mine Labor Rights Campaign, started the session with explaining that what is a right. He said every one in this country at any position has some rights and duties. Further he said that district collector has some rights as like as sex workers in Mumbai have some right, similarly mine worker too have some rights. He said that mine workers face many problems in their daily life, we need to find out our problems in three major areas, such as social problems, economical problems and problems at workplace.
All the workers sit in three groups and each group discussed over one problems assigned to that group. During the discussions in the group one person from MLRC facilitated a group, after long discussions, all the groups prepared their presentation on the chart paper and each group one by one presented the problem areas assigned to the group.
- the social problems
- discrimination
- no benefit from govt. policies
- practice on untouchability
- lack of social unity
- problems related to ration card
- child marriage
- widow pension
- problems related to education
- bondage labor
- atrocities on daughters and daughters in laws
- Mratyu bhoj
- Dowry system
- Problems related to agriculture
- Hand pumps are allocated to schedule caste and schedule tribes but other people encroached on
- Mines are allocated in the names of SC and ST’s but other people encroach on it
- Consumption of wine and tobacco
- Problems related to electricity and water
- Problems of transportation
- economical problems
- poverty and illiteracy
- low income and high expanses
- high rate of inflation
- low wages
- diseases like asthma, T.B silicosis
- lack of appropriate land for agriculture
- natural calamities
- scarcity of cattle
- addiction
- wages are not distributed in time
- load of debts
- lack of awareness about govt. policies
- problems at workplace
- lack of proper wages
- lack of means at the workplace
- no arrangements for shed and drinking water at workplace
- un unity on mine workers
- differences in the wages of men and women
- bad behavior of mine owner towards mine worker
- exploitation of child labors
- lack of weekly and monthly holidays
- improper compensation by mine owner at the time of accident
- no arrangements for the first aid
- no maternal leave with wages
- child labor
- no insurance
- no pension
- laboring on contract
- no proper wages
the major problems which came out post presentation discussions are
- lack of unity among mine workers,
- problems due to be form dalit community
- bondage labor
- old debts
- illiteracy
- discrimination
- injustice and atrocities
- no benefits from govt. policies
prashant mishra chief coordinator after the analysis of the problems said that primerly govt. and feudalistic mind set of the mine owners are responsible for these problems. Further he said that due to lack of common education system and free education, children of mine labor do not get proper education and they are forced to be child labor, to counter with these problems, mine workers needs to be integrated and struggle for their rights for a long time.
Mr. Tulsidas raj asked mine labors that Are they feel that they are free? If they are not free it means they are slave. If, they are slave then of whom? And if they are slave now then what they were in past? Why they are made slave and who made them slave? Further he asked the mine workers that you want to be free and independent?
Mr. Raj said that our constitution is prevalent in our country since 26 January 1950 and which says that every one in this country is equal and no one would be discriminated on the basis of religion or caste. Every one would have right to vote according to his/her will.
Mr. Vinod Rajoria an advocate told the labors about unknowingness and superstitions and religion. Said due to these reasons the people of SC and ST community are lacking behind.
He said that we have to be informed and if we are informed, we will develop a feeling of dignity in ourselves. If we are informed then we could analyze the reasons of our problems and jointly we can struggle for our problems. This way we can form our organization and could struggle for our basic rights. He said that superstitions will end with the information.
Mr. Vinod Rajoria told about the provisions of mining act 1952. he said that mining sector is an unorganized sector. The mining act 1952 has many provisions for mine workers and it is responsibility of govt. and mine owners to implement the provisions of this act.
The provisions of mining act 1952 are
- facility of clean and cold drinking water at workplace
- separate facilities for men and women at attend call of nature
- facility of first aid box
- information board and attendance register
- no worker should be forced to work more than 6 days in a week, no worker would be forced to work more than 48 hours in a week and more than 9 hours in a day. A child labor will work only 5 hours in a day.
- children, less than 14 years of age can not be employed
- women cannot be forced to work in under ground mines, women can not be forced to work before 6 o’clock in the morning and after 7 o’ clock in the evening, women will get 3 months paid maternity leave.
- there are provisions of similar wages for the similar work and on time wages
- compensation should be given to the hurt labor or the dependents of the a labor who died due to mishap in the mine. If some labor get infected of occupational related disease, mine owner must provide compensation to the labor.
- the compensation must be multiplied with the age of the labor with half of his salary or Rs. 80,000 which ever is more. Other than Rs. 2500 must be provided to the victims family for crimination.
In the case of permanent disability, 60% of salary of the victim must be multiplied with his age or Rs. 90,000 which ever is more should be provided.
The main issues of this workshop
- attendance register
- information board
- shed at workplace
- arrangements of drinking water
- regular health checkups
- face mask
according to section 23 of this act no mine owner can force a mine labor to work with out his/her consent
after this information sharing Mr. tulsidas Raj formed strategy with the mine workers, which includes
- formation of a campaign committee
- preparation of memorandum
- preparation of demand latter
- participation all the classes
- membership campaign
a campaign committee formed in this workshop. The details of the members is as fallows
1. Keru village Khibraj Gander
2. Beru village Hanuman Ram , Ashuram and Dhalaram
3. Kaliberi Khumbharam, Multanaram and Devaram
4. Bhuriberi Narpat, Jagdish, Ramnath and Vishnaram
5. Paladi Motiram lilad
6. Salodi Khiyaram and Genaram
The committee discussed on the fallowing issues
- printing of demand letter and posters
- preparation of chart paper of provisions of mining act 1952
- mobilization of people of all classes
- membership form
- membership fee should be Rs. 10
- a meeting of committee members and mine labors in Kaliberi on 20th of june 2008
in the end of the second day after long discussions on various issues and taking decisions on several issue, Mr. Tulsidas Raj paid vote of thanks to all for their active participation in the workshop and asked for their similar support in the future.
Prepared by
Prashant mishra
Lucknow Uttar Pradesh
Email prashant.social@gmail.com
