“Not SMART way of running corporation: ‘Smart City’ needs ‘Smart Leaders’ and ‘Smart Staff’ as “Human Resource”. Smart does not mean swanky buildings, or beautification or digitisation alone. The vision of Smart City is providing basic amenities in consonance with statutory obligations as mandated under section 58 of the K.M.C.Act, 1976. Talking about Smart City without paying Minimum Wages, keeping huge arrears of E.P.F contribution and violating labour laws of its own employees is a mockery of the very concept itself “- Mangaluru Municipal Staff Union Members.
Mangaluru: Addressing the media persons during a Press Meet held at Mangalore Press Club, Advocate Vivekananda Paniya-Legal Advisor for Mangaluru Municipal Staff Union (MMSU) said, ” The Union demands immediate stoppage of “contract labour practice” [which is also “unfair labour practice”] in the water supply section of Mangalore city Corporation and absorption or regularisation of 266 employees forthwith. The Union condemns the local self-government | Public body like the Corporation in indulging in such perse illegal “contract labour practice” in spite of the ban imposed by the government of Karnataka in the year 2006.”
He further said, “The Union also demands prosecution of all officers and Contractors who have indulged in such illegal practice. MMSU further demands action against the erring officers who have deliberately failed to take action against the contractors for failing to implement the E.S.I and E.P.F schemes in spite of direction given by the government of Karnataka to this effect. The Union finally demands that until regularisation or absorption, employees should at least be paid equal wages for equal work in the letter and spirit of article 14 of the Constitution as has been done by the Mysore City Corporation to its employees with effective from 2012.
Devi Prasad Shetty-Honorary President, Chitharanjan Bhandary-Convener, Jagadish Gatty-Working President, Yeshwanth-Vice President, and Navinaksha-Secretary of MMSU were also present during the press meet.
The brief background facts of the Issue:
266 employees of water supply department have been working in the corporation for the past 25 years [from 5 to 25 years] continuously as Valve man, Pump Operators, Mechanics, Fitters, Pipeline Cleaners, Office Assistants etc on a monthly wages, which is far the below the minimum wages prescribed by the Government of Karnataka under the Minimum Wages Act.
In fact, these employees are the back bone of the supply and distribution network system of drinking water in the city. Unfortunately, they are denied basic service and social security benefits like ESI, EPF, Minimum Wages, Equal Wages, Minimum Working Hours,Leave Wages etc. They are being victimised by branding them as “Contract Labours” or “Outsourced Workers” etc. by the Corporation which is supposed to be a model employer.
The fact of the matter is that they are regular employees of the corporation and in order to defeat their legitimate statutory rights their salary is being disbursed [ paid] through the “Salary disbursing agents” called as “Contractors”. This is a unique method adopted by the Mangaluru City Corporation as part of its victimisation process to keep these employees as slaves by keeping them under the eternal hope of absorption as a regular employee one day. This has been continuing for more than a quarter of a century!.
Why Prosecution? The government of Karnataka has issued a show cause notice to the Corporation as to why criminal prosecution should not be granted against the previsions commissioner Shanadi Ajith Hegde for violating the Contract Labour [ Abolition and Regulation ] Act, 1972. In spite of this drastic step, the officers at the middle management level are disregarding the mandatory central labour legislation. There has been flagrant violation of the labour laws.
Not SMART way of running corporation: Smart City needs smart leaders and smart staff as “human resource”.Smart does not mean swanky buildings, or beautification or digitisation alone. The vision of smart city is providing basic amenities in consonance with statutory obligations as mandated under section 58 of the K.M.C.Act, 1976. Talking about smart city without paying Minimum Wages, keeping huge arrears of E.P.F contribution and violating labour laws of its own employees is a mockery of the very concept itself.
Finally you have spoken Mr Vivekananda, regarding Contract Labor. Even 24 hours Emergency Line Counter employees are Contract Employees. Malaria room staff is contract employee. MCC is paying Contractor after each Employee instead of paying the staff itself. There is more to it then the picture shows. Corruption is the backdrop of scam operation. Some of the contract staff I have spoken, told me how much they get paid. It is shocking. Even the beggars make more than these Contract Workers. These staff members do not have chance of under the table income.
In my opinion, Pradhaana Sevaka seems to have a wrong approach towards ‘smart city’ and here is why. We can’t even seem to maintain basic standards in three key areas in our cities – water supply, power supply and Urban infrastructure. The failure in these three critical areas have resulted in massive hygiene issue, chaos, safety threats and lack of living standards as compared to other developing nations. Those who traveled in China, Thailand, Malaysia would have witnessed a much advanced and efficient urban models as compared to India. When you look at our rankings in many key/basic areas, we… Read more »
Let me repeat my ‘simple’ question again – Can you name the Indian news papers or media outlets who published the controversial cartoons of a religious figure? smiles… – Sir RampaNNA on an Article called ‘Eternal Vigilance…’ So sorry I have to post under a diff topic. But then, this ‘new’ system of replying is a pain and you know where exactly it is..lol…. Joker’ji, if that is indeed the case, then your “question” should have read something like what you have posted in THIS post. I.e., “Can you name the Indian news papers or media outlets who published the… Read more »
Joker Praveena – Why are you always confused and responding to unrelated posts ? When I talk about smart city, he talks about pravaadi cartoons. That too from 2006!! What a joker!!
Joker Praveena – Why are you always confused and responding to unrelated posts ? – Rampa with a space before the Q mark. Ahem!. Do you KNOW how to READ? I guess NOT! So, Let me repeat my ‘simple’ question again – Can you name the Indian news papers or media outlets who published the controversial cartoons of a religious figure? smiles… – Sir RampaNNA on an Article called ‘Eternal Vigilance…’ So sorry I have to post under a diff topic. But then, this ‘new’ system of replying is a pain and you know where exactly it is..lol…. Joker’ji, if… Read more »